Triinu Piirsalu

Triinu Piirsalu is one of the most outstanding Estonian violinists of her generation, having received widespread recognition both at home and abroad. She is a soloist with an emotional and compelling performance style and a passionate chamber musician. In autumn 2023, Triinu began her master’s studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich in the violin class of Professor Mi-kyung Lee, while also pursuing a soloist diploma at the Royal Danish Academy of Music under the guidance of Professor Peter Herresthal.

Triinu has participated in numerous national and international competitions. In April 2023, she was selected, alongside four other outstanding young Norwegian musicians, by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra to perform as a soloist at their traditional concert De Unges Konsert. This opportunity was accompanied by the Grieg Foundation Award and a solo performance with the orchestra (Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2).

In November 2020, she was awarded third prize and a special prize from the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra at the Estonian String Players’ Competition. In autumn 2020, she achieved second place in the televised competition Klassikatähed and was also the audience favourite.

At the beginning of 2024, Triinu Piirsalu received the Young Musician Award from the Hansa Group Fund. She began her violin studies at Tallinn Music School under Katrin Talmar and continued at Tallinn Music High School under the guidance of Tiiu Peäske.

In 2019, she began her bachelor’s studies at the Sibelius Academy in the violin class of Professor Réka Szilvay. During her years in Helsinki, Triinu developed a growing interest in the folk music of different countries. During her exchange year in Norway (2022/2023), she also took up playing the Hardanger fiddle.

She has a strong artistic collaboration and friendship with Aavik Duo, with whom she has performed new works written specifically for their ensemble by Estonian composers such as Tõnu Kõrvits, Peeter Vähi, and Liis Jürgenson. Triinu plays in various chamber ensembles and is also a member of the Estonian Festival Orchestra.

She plays a violin made by M. Deconet in 1760.