Born in Hamburg 200 years ago, Fredrik Pacius studied with Ludwig Spohr in Kassel, before serving as a violinist in the orchestra of the Royal Opera in Stockholm. By the time of his death, he had earned him the epithet ‘the father of Finnish music’. He is primarily remembered today for Vårt land ('Our Land'), the national anthem of Finland, which he composed and conducted the first performance of in 1848. The choir at this occasion was Akademiska Sångföreningen (The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki) which Pacius himself founded in 1838.