Composer and pianist Paavo Heininen was notable for his lifelong commitment to modernist styles, not moving toward more accessible musical languages later in life like many of his contemporaries. Sometimes referred to as the "Grand Old Man" of Finnish modernism, Heininen was an influential educator who taught several prominent Finnish composers of the 21st century.

Heininen was born in Helsinki on January 13, 1938. He studied at the Sibelius Academy there, primarily with composer Aarre Merikanto, but also taking classes with Einojuhani Rautavaara, Einar Englund, and Joonas Kokkonen. He moved to Germany to pursue studies with Bernd Alois Zimmermann in Cologne and then to the U.S. to attend the Juilliard School in New York; there, he studied with Vincent Persichetti and Eduard Steuermann. Heininen also took private composition lessons in Poland with Witold Lutoslawski and studied musicology at the University of Helsinki. Even before finishing his schooling, Heininen was writing full-scale works and finding performances for them. From the beginning, he followed the 12-tone procedure pioneered by Arnold Schoenberg. This was not always to the taste of musicians in 1950s Finland, and the orchestra slated to perform Heininen's Symphony No. 1 (1958) refused to play its slow movement, performing only its two outer movements.

Heininen never gave up on modernist styles, but for much of his career, difficult works coexisted with more accessible ones such as the Symphony No. 2 ("Petite symphonie joyeuse"), and later in life, he received commissions from leading Finnish musical organizations. His Symphony No. 6 (2015) was commissioned by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Heininen wrote works in most traditional genres, including eight symphonies, four piano concertos and concertos for a variety of other instruments, other orchestral works, two operas (both in the 1980s), three string quartets, many other chamber works, keyboard music, choral music, and songs. Most of his music was for conventional instruments, but in the 1970s, he experimented with electroacoustic music, and in the '90s, with jazz. In general, his music used 12-tone and serial procedures.

Heininen was a writer of many essays on individual composers and a pianist who premiered many of his own works. To younger Finns, he may have been best known as a teacher; at his alma mater, the Sibelius Academy, he helped shape many of the next generation of Finnish composers. Heininen remained active almost until the end of his life; his Symphony No. 7 appeared in 2020, and his Symphony No. 8 the following year. He died at his home in Järvenpää, Finland, on January 18, 2022. More than 20 of his works have been recorded. ~ James Manheim, Rovi