The Philadelphia Orchestra commissioned Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara's 8th Symphony and will perform its world premiere April 27 in Philadelphia, with Wolfgang Sawallich conducting.

A May 1 performance of the work at New York's Carnegie Hall will follow the premiere.

Rautavaara, who was born Oct. 9, 1938, in Helsinki, has had a long and varied musical career. A student of Roger Sessions and Aaron Copland, he's composed pieces in a wide range of styles, including neoclassicism, serialism and jazz.

His works include The Mine (1963), Marjatta the Lowly Maiden (1977) and Thomas (1985).