Hannikainen, Arvo
Hannikainen Tauno Heikki, *26 February 1896 Jyväskylä, †12 October 1968 Helsinki, Finnish conductor and cellist, son of Pekka. He studied cello with B. Persfelt and O. Forström in Helsinki and in 1916–19, he was the cellist of the city orchestra there; in 1921, he improved in Paris, among others. under the direction of P. Casals, he had previously become familiar with the art of conducting in many European cities, including Vienna, Milan, Berlin and Paris. In 1921, he made his debut as a cellist in Helsinki, where he was a conductor of the Finnish opera until 1927; in 1929–39, he directed the Turku symphony orchestra, continuing his solo and chamber music activities in the Hannikainen Trio, with the brothers Ilmari and Arvo. In 1940 he went to the United States; in 1942–47, he was the head of the Duluth Symphony Orchestra and in 1947–50, the second conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. From 1951, he directed the Helsinki Symphony Orchestra. He also undertook several concert trips, including around the countries of the Far East and South America, where he became known as a propagator of Sibelius’s music.