Tiina Paananen

II violin, sub-principal

I have been shacked up with a violin ever since I was five years old. It was tedious scraping at first, but when I got a bit better, I had the chance to make music with others, and that was great fun! Over the years, the violin and me have travelled from the East Helsinki Music Institute to the Sibelius Academy and to the Rotterdam Conservatory for three years.

With a M.Mus. degree under our belts, we began to look for a job. We found one in a newly founded chamber orchestra named the Tapiola Sinfonietta in Espoo. We have been here for nearly 30 years, and could not have wished for a better place to grow as a musician and to learn about ensemble playing and group dynamics in their many forms.

Recently, we have taken an interest in country and folk music and dared to venture into unfamiliar territory and even to sing. When my violin has a day off, I can be found dancing to swing music, with or without a partner.