Tikka, Kari (Juhani)
Tikka, Kari (Juhani)
Tikka, Kari (Juhani), Finnish conductor and composer; b. Siilinjärvi, April 13, 1946. He received training in oboe (diploma, 1968), in conducting from Panula (diploma, 1979), and in composition from Englund, Kokkonen, and Rautavaara at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki; also studied conducting with Arvid Jansons in Leningrad and with Luigi Ricci in Rome. He played oboe in the Helsinki Phil. (1965-67) and the Finnish National Opera Orch. in Helsinki (1967-68). In 1968 he made his conducting debut in Helsinki; subsequently conducted at the Finnish National Opera there (1970-72), then was a conductor of the Finnish Radio Sym. Orch. (1972-76) and director of the Ensemble for Modern Music of the Finnish Radio. From 1975 to 1977 he was a conductor of the Royal Opera in Stockholm; then again was a conductor at the Finnish National Opera (from 1979); also appeared as a guest conductor throughout Europe. His works include a Cello Concerto (1984) and other orch. pieces, The Prodigal Son, oratorio for 3 Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1985), cantatas, accompanied and unaccompanied choral works, chamber music, and solo songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire