but he puts them together in contemporary ways. He has received a number of commissions from renowned ensembles and has composed eight symphonies, including one using material from a proposed ballet based on The Lord of the Rings and containing two mediaeval Finnish tunes from the Piae Cantiones. He has written seven operas and is well known as the composer of the title track of the Kronos Quartet's album Winter Was Hard. Career highlights 1960 – awarded diploma from the Sibelius Academy 1960–1970 – was administrator of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra 1978 – awarded the Nordic Council Music Prize for The Horseman 1981 – became the first person to be made a professor of Arts for life by the Finnish Government, enabling him to concentrate on composing full-time 1983 – awarded the Wihuri Sibelius Prize 2004 – released the first in a series of recordings of complete orchestral music on the CPO label Selected works Operas The Horseman, Op. 32 (1974, Finnish: Ratsumies; Swedish: Ryttaren) The Red Line, Op. 46 (1978) The King Goes Forth to France, Op. 53 (1983, Finnish: Kuningas lähtee Ranskaan) Kullervo, Op. 61 (1988) The Palace, Op. 68 (1991–1993, Finnish: Palatsi) King Lear, Op. 76 (1999) Castle in the Water, chronicle for a narrator, four singers, and chamber orchestra (2017, Finnish: Linna vedessä) Symphonies Symphony No. 1, Op. 24 (1970–71) Symphony No. 2, Symphonic Dialogue, for percussionist and orchestra, Op. 29 (1972) Symphony No. 3, Op. 35 (1974–75) Symphony No. 4, Op. 49 (1978–79) Symphony No. 5, Washington Mosaics, Op. 57 (1984–85, r. 1987) Symphony No. 6, From a New Zealand Diary, Op. 65 (1989–90) Symphony No. 7, The Dreams of Gandalf, Op. 71 (1996) Symphony No. 8, Autumnal Fragments, Op. 81 (2001) Orchestral Mauermusik, Op. 7 (1963) Variations for Orchestra, Op. 8 (1963) Chorali, for wind orchestra, Op. 22 (1970) Chamber Music I, for string orchestra, Op. 38 (1975) Chamber Music II, for alto flute and string orchestra Op. 41 (1976) Dies Irae, for soprano, bass, male choir and orchestra, Op. 47 (1978) Shadows, prelude for orchestra, Op. 52 (1982) Chamber Music III, The Nocturnal Dances of Don Juanquixote, for cello and string orchestra, Op. 58 (1985–86) Sunrise Serenade, Op. 63 (1989) Songs of Life and Death, for baritone, choir and orchestra, Op. 69 (1995) Palace Rhapsody for wind orchestra, Op. 72 (1996) Introduction and Tango Overture, for piano and string orchestra, Op. 74b