Lea Antola

Lea Antola, who holds master’s degrees in both music and philosophy, started playing the violin at the age of four in a Suzuki group led by Elina Kilpinen, a now-retired Tampere Philharmonic colleague, in Mänttä. She considers Anatoli Melnikov, who taught at the Central Finland Conservatory, to be her most important teacher. In music, the most important thing for her has always been playing together. An orchestral career was a natural choice, but chamber music is also an important part of being a musician: with a string quartet she has participated in competitions in Finland, Italy and the United States.

In her free time, Lea enjoys climbing mountains and hiking with her two cats. Her favorite places in Tampere are the Rauhaniemi public bathhouse and the shores of Lake Näsijärvi.