A child prodigy, Ilkka Talvi was initially self-taught, but he then studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, where he received a performance diploma at the age of 18, having already appeared numerous times as soloist and recitalist. Passionate about teaching, he was hired at the age of 13 for Kuusankoski School of Music and asked to join the faculty of Sibelius Academy at 20. There he soon became a lecturer, while also serving in the same capacity at other Finnish music institutions. Professor Talvi also studied in Vienna (Odnoposoff), Paris (Bouillon), and the United States at USC (Heifetz) and Curtis Institute (Galamian).
Mr. Talvi also served as concertmaster of various orchestras, including in Malmö, Sweden. After emigrating to the United States in 1977, he worked in the Hollywood Studios and served as principal and guest concertmaster of the L.A. Chamber Orchestra. From 1983 to 2004 he served as concertmaster of the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera, and in the same capacity at New York City's Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center for three successive summers.
Now Mr. Talvi teaches full time at Seattle Pacific, as well as directing the SPU String Ensemble and teaching in his private studio. In addition to concertizing widely, he has recorded for Finlandia, Naxos, Angel, and Delos labels, premiering works by such composers as David Diamond, Stephen Albert, and Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. Many of Mr. Talvi's students have won competitions and prominent posts in orchestras, and work as music educators on both sides of the Atlantic.