She began her career as a member of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Szimon Goldberg, but soon became interested in the baroqueviolin. 

She therefore started a long collaboration with Gustav Leonhardt, Frans Brüggen, Ton Koopman (Musica da Camera), and the Kuyken brothers, becoming in the process one of the leading figures in the revival of authentic string playing. 

She has appeared with many ensembles and orchestras - among them the Leonhardt Consort, La Petite Bande and the Orchestra 18th Century - as violin or viola soloist. 

With Frans Brüggen, she founded the Orchestra of the 18th Century, and was for 18 years its concertmaster. 

She is a member of the Amsterdam Fortepiano Trio and L'Archibudelli, and performs regularly with harpsichordist Bob van Asperen and cellist Jaap ter Linden.

Lucy van Dael is also increasing in demand as a conductor amongst orchestras worldwide. She was guest conductor of the European Union Baroque Orchestra, Concerto d'Amsterdam, the Irish Baroque Orchestra, Beethoven Akademie, Academia Montis Regalis, amongst others. 

A member of the faculty of the Amsterdam Conservatory, she is internationally sought after as a pedagogue, and has been visiting professor in Stanford, Berkeley, Basel, Melbourne, Oslo, Hamburg, Jakarta, as well as having given courses throughout the world. 

Her extensive discography brought her several gramophone awards, like the Polish "Fryderyk'97", and the Dutch "Edison". It includes numerous recordings on a wide variety of labels, including : Emi, Sony, RCA, Philips, Telefunken, Harmonia Mundi, Archiv and Naxos: J.S.Bach's soloviolin sonatas.