Tuija Hakkila studied at the Sibelius Academy with Liisa Pohjola and Eero Heinonen, then at the Paris Conservatory with Jacques Rouvier and Theodor Paraskivesco. She deepened her knowledge of 20th century music with Claude Helffer in Paris and classical performance practices with Malcolm Bilson in the United States. Among her other influential teachers are György Sebök, William Pleeth and Dmitri Bashkirov. In 1985-1986, she was a Fulbright scholar at Columbia University in New York.

Since 1987, she has held a senior position in piano music at the Sibelius Academy, where she obtained a doctorate in music in 2005. From 2005 to 2008, she also taught at the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen. She regularly gives masterclasses in Finland and Europe.

Tuija Hakkila has been artistic director of several events and series, including the Early Music Festival in Hämeenlinna, the Summer Academy and chamber music series in Nurmes, the Kaiho Festival in Espoo and the Sibelius Academy concert series.

She has performed as a soloist, member of chamber music groups and accompanist throughout Europe, the United States, Japan, Indonesia, Africa and South America. She has collaborated with eminent musicians such as Vera Beths, Anner Bijlsma, Mikael Helasvuo, Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch, Anssi Karttunen, Alexei Lubimov, Karita Mattila, and has played under conductors such as Okko Kamu, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Leif Segerstam and Sakari Oramo. Her repertoire spans from Bach to contemporary music, with a particular interest in period instruments, especially the fortepiano. She works with current composers and is often invited to give world premieres.

Her solo discography includes the complete Mozart keyboard sonatas, acclaimed by the press, as well as recordings with various chamber music ensembles.

Tuija Hakkila is a professor at the Sibelius Academy.