The Finnish Lahti SO (Sinfonia Lahti) was municipalized in 1949 to maintain the orchestral tradition that had existed in Lahti since 1910. Under the direction of its conductor Osmo Vänskä the orchestra has developed into one of the most notable in the Nordic countries. Among the achievements of the orchestra have been Gramophone Awards 1991 and 1996, the Grand Prix du Disque from the Académie Charles Cros 1993 and the Cannes Classical Award 1997 and 2002.