 In 1962 he, along with Herbert Blomstedt, succeeded Odd Grüner-Hegge as head conductor of Oslo Philharmonic, the nation's leading orchestra, becoming one of the most influential figures in his country's postwar musical history.He was awarded the King's Medal of Merit ("Kongens fortjenstmedalje") in 1954 and was made a Knight 1st Class in the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav during 1962.In 1934 he married Julie Antoinette Skappel (1910–1996).