Toivo Haapanen
Humanist of the day

Toivo Haapanen

The career of Toivo Haapanen, docent in musicology, as a music researcher, conductor and director of music at the Finnish Broadcasting Company, culminated in an extraordinary professorship of musicology at the University of Helsinki. In addition to his scholarly achievements, he was influential for many years as the chief conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Toivo Haapanen

Toivo Elias Haapanen
Born May 15, 1889, Karvia. Died July 22, 1950, Asikkala

Bachelor of Arts 1918, Master of Arts 1920, Licentiate 1924 and PhD 1925 (musicology), University of Helsinki
Docent in musicology 1925–46, University of Helsinki

Professor extraordinary of musicology 1946–50, University of Helsinki
Chief conductor 1929–50, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Director of music 1929–46, Finnish Broadcasting Company
Conductor 1926–36, Helsinki University Symphony Orchestra
Conductor 1928–29, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
Music critic for numerous newspapers
Founder of the publication Musiikkitieto

Chairman 1948–50, Finnish National Council for Music
Member 1943–50, Royal Swedish Academy of Music
Chairman 1936–40, Society of Finnish Composers

Photo: WikimediaCommons
Written by Riitta-Ilona Hurmerinta
Translated by Matthew Billington

From conductor to professor

The musically talented Toivo Haapanen studied musicology at the University of Helsinki and music theory and the violin at the orchestra school of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. After graduating as a Bachelor of Arts in 1918, he continued his studies vigorously, earning his doctorate in 1925, the same year he…

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