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	Tapani Tirilä is a master of music from Oulainen, who has completed his studies at the University of Oulu and the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. In addition to his work at school, he has been active in teacher training and worked as a teacher at many different kinds of choir courses. In addition to his choir work, he is known as a distinctive, inspiring music educator. Tapani Tirilä has conducted the Oulainen Youth Choir since 1972 and the Chamber Choir Vox Ardens since 1999. The Pyhäjokilaakso Male Singers he conducted for 15 years. In 2008 the former singers of the Oulainen Youth Choir established the Female Choir Välke. Nowadays these young ladies live all over Finland and come to practice in Oulainen once a month. Mr. Tirilä conducts this choir as well and all his choirs have had excellent success both in national and in international competitions. In 1995 Tapani Tirilä was the artistic director of the international children's and youth choirs' Choral Festival Sympaatti. He has chaired the Association of Finnish Youth Choirs in 2000 - 2008. He was a founder of the Oulainen Music Week in 1987 and still works as a planner of the event. He was awarded SULASOL's Klemetti award in 1989 and the Youth Choir Association's Heinz Hofmann medal in 1997. The honour of "Choir Conductor of the Year" was granted to Tapani Tirilä in 2003 by the Association of Finnish Choir Conductors. He was awarded the prestigious honorary title of musiikkineuvos by the President of Finland in 2008. The Youth Choirs´ Association awarded him Erkki Pohjola Prize in 2017.