Acclaimed by international critics, she is considered as one of the most interesting orchestra conductors of the new generation. In addition to conducting Maria Luisa Macellaro La Franca is a well-known pianist, her repertoire ranges from ancient music on old instruments to modern music. She began to study piano, composition and conducting at the V. Bellini Conservatory of Palermo where she graduated with honors in 2000. Then she specialized in the prestigious Zurich Musik Hochschule in Zurich where she also graduated in jazz, composition, chamber music and early music, with honors. Winner of innumerable prizes in national and international piano competitions (Osimo Coppa Pianisti d'Italia 1996, IBLA Grand Prize 2000 New York , Elsy Mayer Stiftung Zurich 2003) a very young career began that led her to perform in various countries and theaters such as the Teatro Politeama of Palermo, the Opera of Bordeaux, Theater of the MAM Museum and Institute of Italian Culture of Rio de Janeiro, Synagogue of Berlin and Halle of the Upper Conservatory of Dusserldorf, Auditorium de Los Andes Mendoza, Halle of the Banco Hipotecario Lujan in Argentina, Grosser Saal Zurich , Boccadoro Theater in Lugano, Collado Villalba Culture Center in Madrid, Grand Theater Osaka in Japan, Presidential Hall in Ankara (Turkey) and others . As a composer, Maria Luisa was honored with several awards: for the "Cantate pour la mort de Falcone et Borsellino" she received the "Envie d'Agire" award for best musical creation in 2009, LABEL IDDAC 2009 for the best French theater opera 2009 and she was then appointed Ambassador of Culture in the world 2012 for Italy. For the composition "Emes Symphonie" she received the “Prix du Conseil General de Gironde”, Ambassador Human Rights I.H.R.O.2013, Ambassador for the women rights in Music 2014, International Human Rights Commission IGO as Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and ART Solunto festival Price 2016 . She won in 2019 Premio DONNA di Fiori ( for her engagement for women composer) and « Torre Normanna Solunto art festival » ( for her brilliant career 2019) . She is regularly invited as an artist in different international festivals both as a pianist and as a conductor: Rio International Harp Festival (Brazil), Swiss Harp Festival, Festival d'Arles, Semaine Musical de Bayonne, Estivales en Charente Maritime, Cap Ferrat Music Festival ( France), Armonie d'Autunno (Italy), IBM International Berlin (Germany) For the 2011/2012 season she was the permanent conductor of the "Molto Assai" orchestra, with which she performed on several tours in southern France. From September 2015 Maria Luisa has been the Principal Conductor of the prestigious UNISSON ACME Orchestra of Bordeaux and « Les virtuoses de Bordeaux » chamber orchestra . Her original lyrical and Symphonic works are regularly performed by French and Italian Orchestra (CSF33 chamber orchestra Bordeaux, Polyphonie à Eysines , Orchestra Sinfonica Sanremo ,Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana , Unisson Acme Orchetra) and her chamber music pieces are performed by great French personalities: her last piece for cello "Sharade" was recorded and performed on a world tour by the great French cellist Etienne Peclart and recorded with the Triton label. Maria Luisa has recorded in 2017 for the Da Vinci Classic Osaka, "Liszt Erard 1852" on fortepiano Erard ( one of the most downloaded titles from spotify 2017 ) and in 2018 a CD with the Nocturnes of Fauré et Charlotte de Rotschild. In December 2017 she made her debut in Japan with a recital on the romantic repertoire at the Grand Front Theater in Osaka. In April 2018 she made her debut as a conductor in Ankara (Turkey) conducting the Baskent Akademik Orkestra. Maria Luisa also made her debut in June 2018 with The Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana in world streeming TV with a great succes ( 2500 persons came). Maria Luisa made her debuts as conductor , December 27 in Naples with Bulgaria Classic Symphony orchestra and 7 march Sanremo Symphony orchestra (with a prima of the Ina Boyle's violin concerto , in collaboration with Ina Boyle fondation in Dublin and Razvan Stoica as violin soloist). Maria Luisa made her debut too in June  with  Pitesti Philarmonic orchestra and Craiova Philarmonic orchestra ( Romania) ;

29 june she will conduct French Riviera Symphony Orchestra (  Cannes) in Nantes and Paris making her debut as Opera Conductor ( La voix des Oceans Antonio Santana).

For the season 2019 :2020 she will be in tournées in Australia Hong Kong and Europe as conductor.