Bio
BIOGRAPHY Tessa Virta (born 1967) is a distinctive pianist, composer and singer.
She is an experienced musical all-rounder and has acted as a musician, arranger, composer and orchestral conductor for bands of numerous leading artists. Following classical piano studies, she studied jazz at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and graduated as Master of Music in 2006 with piano as her main subject.
Tessa Virta has led her own orchestra since 1990 while performing at concerts and various other events. She has organised her own concert tours since 2003 and released her debut album "Um Poeta", made up of Brazilian bossa nova, samba and own compositions, in 2004.
In addition to performing, Tessa has done compositions and arrangements for big bands, symphony orchestras, singing groups, theatre productions and for numerous musical ensembles. In her own compositions Tessa Virta uniquely combines the structures of classical music with the rich harmonies and rhythms of jazz. Tessa organised her first instrumental composition concert in 2005 and gained international recognition in 2007 at a Big Band composition competition in the Netherlands.
Her strong and touching melodies drift in surroundings where the tone is both picturesque and impressionistic. In addition to her composing work, Tessa Virta regularly performs with her quintet that interprets "Nat King Cole" type jazz. The captivating melody and swing charms both Tessa and the listener year after year.
Tessas new album "symphonical jazz" with her own compositions has been released in september 2010. And she had two succesfull concerts with Jyväskylä Symphony Orchestra and jazzcombo in Jyväskylä and in Savoy-theatre ,Helsinki in October 2010.