Tristan Best is an early string instrument player currently based in Montreal, Quebec. With roots in New York and Nova Scotia, Tristan came to Montreal in 2016 to study viola da gamba and early music performance. Tristan holds a bachelor and a master of music in viola da gamba performance after completing his studies at McGill University in 2021 under the tutelage of Betsy MacMillan and Elin Soderstrom. Tristan frequently performs with Montreal-based ensemble Les Barocudas, has participated in the Montreal Baroque Festival, and was awarded the Founder’s Prize along with second place as a soloist in the Mathieu-Duguay Early Music Competition in 2022. Outside of performance, Tristan is also an educator and has given workshops and lectures about the viola da gamba around Canada and the United States.