Berglund, Paavo (Allan Engelbert)
Berglund, Paavo (Allan Engelbert)
Berglund, Paavo (Allan Engelbert), prominent Finnish conductor; b. Helsinki, April 14, 1929. After violin lessons from his grandfather, he pursued training at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Vienna, and Salzburg. In 1949 he began his career asa violinist in the Finnish Radio Sym. Orch. in Helsinki. In 1952 he became conductor of the Helsinki Chamber Orch. In 1956 he was made assoc. conductor and in 1962 principal conductor of the Finnish Radio Sym. Orch. He was principal conductor of the Bournemouth Sym. Orch. (1972–79) and music director of the Helsinki Phil. (1975–79); then was principal guest conductor of the Scottish National Orch. in Glasgow (1981–85). He served as the conductor of the Stockholm Phil, from 1987 to 1991. Berglund has won distinction for his interpretations of the 20th-century masters of the sym., ranging from Sibelius to Shostakovich. He conducts left-handed.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire