Terese Lien Evenstad is a highly regarded jazz violinist in the Nordics, recognized for her musical contributions and performances. As the pioneering jazz violinist to graduate from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, her distinctive sound effortlessly melds with the jazz tradition. Evenstad’s fearless experimentation results in contemporary jazz deeply rooted in tradition, showcasing her musical creativity.
”She has given the violin a new face in jazz”
— LOUIS ARMSTRONG SCHOLARSHIP 2018
Terese Lien Evenstad is a Norwegian–Swedish jazz violinist and composer based in Gothenburg, Sweden. She began playing the violin at the age of seven within the classical tradition before discovering jazz in her early twenties. In 2016 she graduated from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, becoming the first jazz violinist in history to graduate from the Bachelor’s Programme in Jazz Performance at the institution.
She has established herself as one of the most sought-after jazz violinists in Scandinavia, developing a distinctive musical voice characterized by lyrical melodies, rhythmic drive and strong ensemble interplay. She leads the contemporary jazz group Terese Lien Evenstad Quintet (TLEQ), featuring violin and clarinet in the front line and performing original compositions that blend Nordic lyricism with global influences. She also leads All In Trio, a project dedicated to traditional jazz with piano and double bass.
Since 2017, Evenstad has released several albums as a bandleader and composer. Her album Movement (2023), released on the German label Berthold Records, was followed by concerts and touring in Germany and India. In 2026 she releases her latest album Phoenix with TLEQ, presenting a lyrical yet groove-oriented sound shaped by modern jazz traditions and the dynamic interplay of the quintet.
Her work has gained increasing international attention in recent years. She has toured in countries including Germany, India, Norway, Italy and Switzerland, performing at jazz clubs and festivals across Scandinavia and Europe. She has also been selected by Export Music Sweden to participate in international networking events such as Jazzahead, Elbjazz, and the European Jazz Conference.
In recognition of her artistic work, Evenstad has received several nominations and awards. In 2018 she was nominated for the prestigious Jazzkatten Award (Swedish Radio P2) in the category Newcomer of the Year. The same year she received the Louis Armstrong Scholarship, where the jury highlighted how she had “given the violin a new face within jazz.” In 2019 she was selected as Young Swedish Soloist by Scenkonst Sörmland and received the J:son Scholarship, awarded by guitarist Janne Schaffer and jury. She later received a two-year working grant from the Swedish Arts Grants Committee (Konstnärsnämnden) for 2023–2024, and in 2024 she was nominated for the Manifest Gala in the category Jazz of the Year.
A versatile musician, she moves freely between her own projects, collaborations and educational work. She has performed with ensembles such as Bohuslän Big Band, where she was featured in the project Up-and-Coming Artists, and has collaborated with musicians including Lina Nyberg, Fabian Kallerdahl, Kristin Amparo, Peter Knudsen, Eva Lindal, Stina Hällberg Agback, Örjan Hultén, Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo.
Alongside her performing career, she has conducted workshops and masterclasses, including a two-day Meet the Artist-residency at Örebro University School of Music. She has also received support for several artistic projects from the Swedish Arts Council and the Swedish Arts Grants Committee.
Rooted in the tradition of jazz greats such as Sonny Rollins, Ella Fitzgerald, Erroll Garner and Horace Silver, Evenstad continues to explore and expand the role of the violin within modern jazz. Among her inspirations are jazz violinists such as Ola Kvernberg, Didier Lockwood, Fiona Monbet, Aurélien Trigo and Eva Slongo.
”Vital and dense modern Nordic jazz of high class. A driven violinist with a deep sense of jazz”
– Sydsvenskan, Alexander Agrell (Sweden, 2023).
”Powerful and sensitive with great energy and dynamism – an inherent primal force with improvisational freedom”.
– Opulens Magazine (Sweden, 2023)
”Evenstad is a brilliant violinist who has absorbed a significant portion of modern jazz history. Furthermore, she makes no secret of her Nordic heritage, which has also left its mark on her expression.”
– Nettavisen (Norway, 2023)
”Terese possesses such dazzling technique that she should be considered the foremost practitioner in the Nordic region within her genre.”
– Mats Hallberg, Kulturbloggen (2023)
