Biography

Growing up in a small seaside town in Northern Finland, my parents did the best they could to find musical activities for an overly enthusiastic three-year-old who was absolutely mesmerised by anything musical. Thankfully, there was a Suzuki violin teacher who was experienced in teaching young children, and my musical journey was able to begin. My love of the violin has since influenced every decision in my life, leading me to Helsinki to study with Erkki Palola at the Helsinki Conservatory at the age of 18, and eventually to London, where I studied at the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of Professor Sophie Langdon, and later at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where I was awarded a scholarship to complete my Master’s degree with Professor Stephanie Gonley.

Since graduating, I have been enjoying a varied freelance life as a musician in London, making the most of the inspiring opportunities this city has to offer. I have freelanced with orchestras such as the Outcry Ensemble and the Fidelio Orchestra, taken part in the Orpheus Sinfonia Foundation Programme in 2023-2024, and regularly performed as a member of the Kings Chamber Orchestra. Throughout my career, I have been particularly passionate about chamber music, creative concert programming, and community outreach. I have been fortunate enough to combine these three passions by starting my own concert series, GraceNotes Community Concerts, in Highgate, London.

More recently, I have become very enthusiastic about reconnecting with my Nordic folk roots. I have a background in playing folk music as a child and participating in large folk projects such as Näppärit, a Finnish educational folk music programme founded by Mauno Järvelä. In the past couple of years, I have drawn on this experience to start a contemporary folk ensemble, Skeld, a Nordic/Celtic band that mixes traditional elements with a modern approach and some funky twists. I have thoroughly enjoyed developing this project, writing music for it, and performing at events such as the Isle Joyeuse Chamber Music Festival and the Sofar Sounds series in London.

Although my life largely revolves around music, I also love travelling, discovering beautiful places by the sea and cute cafés that serve excellent chai lattes, reading, and learning new languages. Ultimately, what keeps me excited about being a musician is the endless variety of ways in which music can connect people, tell stories, and create a sense of community.