Ulf Söderblom (b. 1930 in Turku) took his degree in conducting at the Vienna Academy of Music under Hans Swarowski. A considerable part of his career was devoted to his work at the Finnish National Opera as its Conductor (1957-1973), Chief Conductor (1973-1993), Director of Planning (1968-1970), Artistic Director (1970-1973) and temporary Chief Director (1996). He was also Artistic Director of the Helsinki Philharmonic (1978-79) and the Lahti Symphony (1984-87) orchestras.

Ulf Söderblom has distinguished himself particularly as the conductor of numerous world premières of Finnish operas (by composers such as Sallinen, Kokkonen, Heininen, Bergman), although his repertoire also covers the principal Classical-Romantic opera literature. Söderblom's second important Finnish venue besides the Finnish National Opera has been the Savonlinna Opera Festival, where he has conducted since 1967. He has also made many recordings of opera and concert music, four of which have been selected as 'Artistic Record of the Year' in Finland. In 1977 he was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Music.

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