Palliila, Jorma

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Palliila, Jorma

Palliila, Jorma, Finnish conductor, pedagogue, and composer; b. Kauhajoki, Aug. 10, 1930. He studied in Helsinki at the School of Church Music and with Leo Funtek at the Sibelius Academy (1948–53); then pursued conducting studies with Dean Dixon in Lund (1953), and with Albert Wolff (1957) and Franco Ferrara (1958) in Hilversum. He conducted theater orchs. in Lahti (1953–55), Tampere (1955–58), and Helsinki (1958–62); after conducting the Finnish National Opera (1962–63), he conducted the Turku Phil. (1963–65), the Helsinki Phil. (1965–72), the Àrhus Sym. Orch. in Denmark (1972–75), and the Espoo City Orch. (1986–88); also appeared as a guest conductor throughout Europe and in North America. He served as a prof, of conducting at the Sibelius Academy (from 1972), the Stockholm Musikhögskolan (1980–86), and the Copenhagen Royal Danish Cons, of Music (1986–91).

Works

dramatic: 2 folk operas: Jaakko Ilkka (1978) and Jokiooppera (The River Opera; 1982); Vallon Miehet (Men of Power), television opera (1987); musicals; scores for films, radio, and television. orch.: Violin Concerto (1954); Adagio and Allegro (1957); Orkesteriesittely (Orchestral Introduction; 1965); Jazz Capriccio for Piano and Orch. (1965); Concertino (1972). other: Choral music; numerous arrangements of folk music

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire