As a child, Tuula Tossavainen fell asleep to the sound of fiddles and accordions of her father's dance band playing traditional Finnish folk music. When Tuula was two years old she demanded her own fiddle, which her father Yrjo (George), a prominent bay area bandleader, fiddler, and arranger, brought home the very next day. Tuula learned to fiddle simply by joining in with the band, thereby becoming an accomplished fiddler by the time she started her first classical lessons at the age of nine.

Throughout her teens, Tuula won scholarships and competitions for classical violin, including the California Mendelssohn competition, while also fiddling in gigs, from country western and bluegrass bands to strolling gypsy violin. Her studio work includes playing on recordings for Hubert Laws and Kenny Rankin. Tuula's orchestral performances include touring with the San Francisco Western Opera Orchestra, playing with the San Francisco Ballet, San Francisco Concerto Orchestra, Napa Symphony, Berkeley Symphony, and most recently the Sacramento Philharmonic, Opera, and Ballet Orchestras.

Tuula has taught violin at several bay area schools, including San Domenico Conservatory, has directed the San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers performance at the Palo Alto Black and White Ball, and currently directs her youth fiddle orchestra FiddleMarin, while teaching classical violin and fiddling privately from her home for students of every age and level. After producing a live house concert and first cd for her two talented musician children, launching their musical careers, Tuula has returned to a focus on her first love, Finnish folk music, while exploring jazz in her musical partnership with harmonica player Winslow Yerxa.