[1] She was one of the most well-known Finnish-American musicians of her time,[2] and is possibly the first woman in the world to record accordion solos.

Viola met John Rosendahl, an immigrant from Elimäki, Finland in 1926, and subsequently began touring the US with him as a duo, occasionally recording music.

[3] They later teamed up with fellow Finnish-American accordionist from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Sylvia Polso.

[2] After Rosendahl's death in 1932,[4] Viola married William Syrjälä, and began recording songs and playing shows with him that same year.

[2] In 1994, Viola was the first woman inducted into the Minnesota Discovery Center Polka Hall of Fame.