Helvi Lemmikki Leiviskä (25 May 1902 – 12 August 1982) was a Finnish composer, writer, music educator, and librarian at the Sibelius Academy.
Life
Leiviska in 1950
Helvi Leiviskä was born in 1902 in Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland, and in 1927 graduated in composition from the Helsinki Music Institute (now the Sibelius Academy), where she studied with the Finnish composer Erkki Melartin. She continued her studies in Vienna, and then returned to Finland where she studied with the Finnish composer Leevi Madetoja.[1][2]
She began work as a composer with a debut in 1935, and also worked as a music teacher privately and in public schools from 1922 to 1938. In 1933, she took a position as librarian at the Sibelius Academy.[1]
After World War II, Leiviskä continued her studies with the Slovenian conductor Leo Funtek, and wrote reviews for periodicals including Ilta-Sanomat.[1]
Leiviskä died in Helsinki at 80 years of age.[1][2][3]
Selected works
Piano Concerto, 1935
Triple Fugue for Orchestra, 1938
Symphony No. 1, 1947
Symphony No. 2, 1954
Symphony No. 3, 1971
Sinfonia Brevis, 1962
Folk Dance Suite (Kansantanssisarja), 1934
Hobgoblin of Darkness (Pimeän peikko), 1942
The Lost Continent (Mennyt manner) for choir and orchestra, 1957
