Violinist Tuulia Hero: A silent dialogue unfolds between the music, the musicians and the audience
Tuulia Hero discovered the joy of making music with others from an early age. The Paddington Trio is already the second piano trio in her young career. She describes its fortunate creation as a lightning strike hitting twice – and each time, something extraordinary has started to happen.
Who are you – and could you tell us about your journey as a violinist?
I am Tuulia Hero, a violinist, chamber musician and improviser originally from Espoo. My enthusiasm for playing the violin ignited at the age of four through the Colourstrings method, which is based on playing together and improvisation.
I was surrounded by encouraging people, including my exceptional violin teacher Joanna Hyrsky, and already in elementary school, I decided that I wanted to continue doing this. I began my studies at the Sibelius Junior Academy and the Violin Academy, where I studied with Janne Malmivaara, Elina Vähälä and Ilja Grubert.
After high school, I was encouraged to study abroad, so I spent a year at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin. The focus there was on solo playing, which made me realise even more strongly that I wanted to play with others. I returned to the Sibelius Academy to continue studying with my long-time teacher Janne Malmivaara and took advantage of the academy’s many opportunities. I explored jazz violin, played in a violin-accordion duo and studied violin pedagogy.
Currently, I live, perform and teach in London while also completing my master’s degree at the Sibelius Academy under Petri Aarnio. I teach violin and chamber music monthly at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and travel to Madrid, where my trio has a chamber music residency with Günther Pichler.
You play the 1707 Stradivarius violin from the Sibelius Academy of Uniarts Helsinki. What kind of relationship do you have with your instrument, and how has it influenced your playing?
It is a wonderful violin. At first, it took me some time to find my own voice through the instrument. When I started recording myself, the sound seemed magnified – at a different volume, with more intensity and precision. Everything I did became more audible and clear.
I am grateful to the Sibelius Academy for granting me access to an instrument that allows me to hear my own thoughts.
You perform internationally with the highly successful Paddington Trio, which received a rare five-star concert review in The Guardian.
How did the trio come to be, and what inspired you to form a chamber music ensemble?
Most of my favorite music is written for a piano trio – violin, cello and piano. My deep love for piano trio music developed when I was young. During my early studies, I formed a trio with friends, participating in competitions and performing concerts.
After one concert, we received a letter from Jenni Haukio, inviting us to play at the Presidential Palace, choosing our own repertoire. That was when I realised that if I could play with my best friends, anything was possible. The trio became a big part of my life, and after high school, I hoped to find a piano trio again.
During the pandemic, I moved to London, to the Barbican area, where all the buildings looked the same. One day, I was trying to find an event but couldn’t locate the right place. I ran into a woman on the street who was also trying to get to the same event. It turned out she was a pianist, Stephanie Tang. And she, too, wanted to play chamber music.
We started asking around about the best cellist we could play with. Everyone mentioned the same name, some guy named Patrick. I messaged him on Facebook, asking if he would come play with us.
We went to a practice room and played a Beethoven trio. Patrick [Moriarty] always talks about that first rehearsal, how everything just clicked. It simply worked.
Lightning struck twice. I formed my first trio when I was 13 or 14 with two friends, and something magical happened. And now, the same thing has happened again.
How would you describe your working process, ensemble playing and repertoire?
It’s energetic and intense – constant interaction between the music, each other and the audience. It’s easy when you love what you do.
When violinist Mark Danel first listened to our trio, he sat in silence for a long time. Then he stood up and said: “When I listen to student groups, I often wonder why they play together. When I listened to you, it was like seeing signs above your heads saying, ‘We love music.’” He understood us, and he has since become one of our most important mentors.
When I encounter a new piece, I approach it with great curiosity: What is behind this music? How would I sing it? Through the trio, I’ve met people who are different from me, yet we share the same deep curiosity.
We dive into a composer’s music by studying the structure of the piece and listening to different interpretations. Interaction with our own history, the piece and the composer is essential from the start. All three of us come from different backgrounds and cultures – our cellist Patrick Moriarty is from Ireland, and our pianist Stephanie Tang has Korean-Chinese heritage from the U.S. We view a piece from different angles, yet in the end, we share the same thoughts – it’s an incredible process.
We play a lot of contemporary music. At the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, we discovered Lotta Wennäkoski’s stunning “Päärme”, which was inspired by a sewing machine. For our Wigmore Hall concert, we wanted to celebrate craftsmanship by playing “Päärme” first, followed by Schubert’s piano trio.
We also aim to find interesting combinations. Every piece we play is equally important to us. We build a concert programme that we would want to attend – a story we would want to hear.
How do you experience international success, and what opportunities has it brought you?
As young musicians, we are experiencing incredible firsts and connecting with people who have invaluable knowledge we can learn from for years to come.
A year ago, we were contacted by clarinetist Michael Collins, who had performed Olivier Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time” with the composer himself. Collins invited us to play the piece with him.
At rehearsals, there wasn’t much talking, we simply played. The performance was hypnotic. Everyone was silent and focused. The magical part was that, through Collins, we had a direct connection to the composer.
At the end, there is a violin solo, which I played on my Stradivarius for the first time. After the concert, someone told me it must have been terrifying to play such a difficult part. But for me, it was the easiest moment. When I reach the performance itself, I just get to play.
A silent dialogue emerges – there’s no need to prepare or work anymore. It’s not a frightening moment. I simply play. It’s an intense experience. The lights are bright, and everyone is focused.
What have been your most important learning experiences or turning points as a musician?
One of the most recent turning points has been studying with Petri Aarnio – he has been a major inspiration. Petri has taught me self-acceptance. This is my voice. He is an incredible violinist, presenting ideas with clarity and sensitive listening. He has also helped me understand my different roles: concert violinist, student, teacher and audience member.
Another key learning experience was performing at a festival on a small island in the Netherlands, where audiences came from around the world. I learned how an audience’s intense focus can create genuine interaction with musicians.
I realised that we were creating something together. It wasn’t just about me and my friends – it was about everyone present, all engaged in something meaningful together.
What are your goals for the future?
They’re quite simple: I want to find places where I can be with both my family and my trio family.
I want to make music in a way that allows me time for other experiences. Music has always been my whole life. Now, I want to grow into an adult with an intense hobby – maybe kickboxing.
I’m also passionate about improvisation and want to bring it more into concert programmes. This summer at the Kuhmo Festival, I’ll lead an improvisation workshop to share these ideas and hopefully inspire others.
What advice would you give young musicians trying to balance studies and an international performing career?
Music should be made for and with others – interaction isn’t learned by practicing alone. And it’s crucial to take every performance opportunity. The biggest thing is to work with different people in different situations – and unexpected things will happen.
