Juha Kangas

A native of the Ostrobothnia region, Juha Kangas began his musical career as a folk fiddler. His move into conducting took an unusual route with the emphasis less on formal studies and more on wide-ranging professional experience. Kangas studied the violin under Onni Suhonen at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. After a period of five years as a viola player in the Helsinki Philharmonic, he took up the post of lecturer at the Central Ostrobothnian Music Institute (now the Central Ostrobothnian Conservatory; 1972-1986). As a sideline to his teaching activities, he founded the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra in 1972 and continues to act as its Artistic Director to this day.