Ulf Söderblom as conductor of the HPO

In 1978, Ulf Söderblom, also known as an opera conductor, joined Paavo Berglund as Conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the reason being that Berglund wished to reduce his work load. Söderblom was regarded as a reliable and clever conductor and his choice of repertoire was described as exciting.

Söderblom retired from his post with the HPO at the same time as Berglund, in 1979. This was something they had mutually agreed when Söderblom began to share the post.