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The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki

The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki, Akademiska Sångföreningen or simply Akademen in Swedish, is a Finland-Swedish male voice student choir based in Helsinki, Finland. The choir was founded as early as 1838 by Fredrik Pacius, music teacher at the Imperial Alexander University of Finland – now the University of Helsinki – and known as “the father of Finnish music”. Akademen is thus the oldest Finnish choir still in existence, and the ties to the University are still strong, even if members today come from many different universities and colleges all around Helsinki. Akademen has about 60 active members, most of whom are university students. Mus.D. Kari Turunen has directed the choir since 2008, following Henrik Wikström’s eleven years as conductor.