A regular guest of key Finnish orchestras, Elina’s global reach extends to the Houston Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony, and the RTVE Spanish Radio Orchestra, among many others. She has toured extensively across the UK, Germany, China, Korea, and South America, collaborating with distinguished conductors such as Leonard Slatkin, Sakari Oramo, Jakub Hrůša, and Santtu-Matias Rouvali.

In 2023, Elina assumed the role of Artistic Director for the Naantali Music Festival. Her recent seasons include debuts with the BBC Scottish Symphony, Prague Radio Symphony, and the Seoul Philharmonic, alongside returns to the Hamburg Symphony and Wroclaw Philharmonic.

Vähälä is a fierce advocate for contemporary music. She has given world premieres of concertos by Aulis Sallinen, Curtis Curtis-Smith, Jaakko Kuusisto, and Kalevi Aho-works written specifically for her. Notably, she gave the first Nordic performance of Corigliano’s ‘The Red Violin’ Concerto and remains a soloist of choice for this masterpiece. She is also one of the few virtuosos to perform the early version of the Sibelius concerto.

Beyond the stage, Elina is dedicated to shaping the next generation of musicians. In 2009, she launched the Violin Academy for talented young Finnish violinists. Since September 2019, she has held the professorship at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.

Naantali Music Festival Artistic Director.

DIRECTOR

University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.

PROFESSOR

Soloist with world's leading orchestras.

VIOLINIST

Born in the US and raised in Finland, Elina Vähälä has established herself as one of the most sought-after violinists on the international stage. She made her orchestral debut with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra at the age of twelve, later earning the title of “Young Master Soloist” from Osmo Vänskä. Her career is defined by a versatility that wins praise from critics and audiences alike: the Chicago Tribune describes her as “a fluent, stylish, and gifted musician whose brilliant technique is matched by an abundant spirit, sensitivity and imagination.”