Sallinen is a Finnish composer educated at the Sibelius Academy. After serving as superintendent of The Finnish Radio SO, he returned to the Academy to teach composition and theory. His music is lyrical and composed in a free serial manner. He developed a technique in the 1960's that employs tonal elements such as triads within a new theoretical structure. He has displayed a gift for large dramatic works as is evident in his opera Punainen viiva. ~ Lynn Vought