Risto Lauriala began his musical studies in Oulu under Helge Lück and later continued at the Oulu College of Music as a pupil of Jussi Törnwall. At the Sibelius Academy he studied under Timo Mikkilä and gained his diploma in piano-playing in 1972. He completed his studies in London as a private pupil of Ilona Kabos and at the Vienna Academy of Music under Professor Dieter Weber. In 1970 Risto Lauriala won first prize in the Maj Lind Piano Competition and in 1974 first prize in the Stepanow Competition in Vienna. He made his debut in 1973 in Helsinki and since then he has frequently performed as a member of a chamber music ensemble, as a soloist with orchestras and as a lied pianist, in European countries, in the former Soviet Union, Japan and the United States.

Risto Lauriala has recorded works by Bach, Beethoven ,Schubert and Schubert-Liszt on the Alba label. For Naxos-label he has recorded works by Sibelius, S.Palmgren, J.Suk and transcriptions of Bach`s works for violin and for organ. His recordings have received considerable critical acclaim both in his home country and in foreign musical publications. His Schubert-Liszt CD (Franz Liszt`s piano arrangements of Schubert`s Lieder) was awarded the Janne Record Prize in March 2003. Lauriala has been a lecturer in accompaniment at the Sibelius Academy since 1982.