After studying at the Rome Conservatory, in 1981 he moved to Switzerland to research the world of the viola da gamba. Soon afterwards, in Basel he began a series of musical collaborations with Jordi Savall that led him to form part of Hespèrion XX, participating in a number of remarkable recordings. In 1989 he was named professor of viola da gamba at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, a position held in high esteem worldwide and previously held by August Wenzinger and Jordi Savall. Since then his teaching activity has been centred in Switzerland, where he directs, since 1992, the Ensemble di viole Labyrinto, a group that specialises in interpreting the vast and fascinating body of works for consort of viols.

Pandolfo’s concert tours have taken him around the world and he frequently performs live, both unaccompanied and with his group Labyrinto. Since Pandolfo signed exclusively to Glossa in 1998, the year in which the label released his most popular CD, A Solo, he has the freedom to take all the time he needs to fully explore each new recording project, meaning that each CD is something of a musical revelation.