Photos by Patrik Tamm

The line-up of the opening concert featured popular Estonian artists like Kukerpillid, NOËP, and Winny Puhh. The square, featuring wood installations that formed a ’digital thicket’, also included cafés and street food stalls, as well as a playground entitled the Children’s Republic.

The ’digital thicket’ installation that encompassed the stages and the square told Estonia’s Presidency story ’Unity through balance’. Made of 7 solid cubic metres of wood and 700 identical wooden elements, it was created by Sille Pihlak and Siim Tuksam from the PART architectural practice, the most recent winners of the Estonian Young Architect of the Year Award. Pihlak and Tuksam have also created the timber frame city space bandstands and smart garbage sorting containers for the last two editions of Tallinn Music Week festival. The ’digital thicket’ will find a new home in the Tallinn Botanical Garden as trellises for the climbing plants there.

The audience was greeted by Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, and Jüri Ratas, the Prime Minister of Estonia.
“The eyes of Europe are on us and once again we are greater than our size would suggest. We must use this time wisely and boldly, we must speak ourselves but, above all, know how to listen to others. The more familiar Europe is with our way of thinking, the greater Estonia is. The better we understand others, the more united Europe is,” said Prime Minister Ratas.

Donald Tusk noted that coming from Poland, he can understand the importance of language in preserving cultural identity and quoted, in Estonian, the poem “We keep together like this” by Paul-Eerik Rummo from 1964.

On Friday 30 June, Jüri Ratas and Jean-Claude Juncker gave a joint press conference at the Tallinn Creative Hub (Kultuurikatel) where Juncker praised the opening concert, highlighting the enthusiasm of and the warm welcome given by the people of Estonia.

The start of the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU was also celebrated at the Tallinn Creative Hub (Kultuurikatel) on Thursday with a formal reception and gala concert for select guests. Both events were broadcast live by the Estonian Television (ETV).

The opening concert of the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union concert featured artists like the Estonian Radio Children’s Choir conducted by Kaie Tanner and Kadri Hunt, the Estonian Cello Ensemble, Estonian Voices, Frankie Animal, Genka, Kadri Voorand, Kukerpillid, Mari Jürjens, Miljardid, NOËP, Vaiko Eplik, Winny Puhh, and a joint choir with conductor Veronika Portsmuth, and dancers with choreographer Arolin Raudva. The performances were blended into a continuous whole by composer and DJ Sander Mölder.
The concert was organised by Tallinn Music Week and Kingent Management.

Visual and lighting design, stage and area design: Emer Värk, Rene Jõhve (Cuu Club), PART architectural practice
Director of sound: Kaspar Brandt (RGB)
Production and choreography: Arolin Raudva
Visual identity: Martin Veisman, Ruum 414
Food area: Tallinn Street Food Festival, KrõbeRäim, MTÜ Mondo Süüria köök, Bite My Bagel, Paulig Coffee Truck, Kolm Nuudlit, BBQ Truck (LV), Nohik Kohvibuss, Street Food Team, Homeart interior design shop
Playground and workshops: the Children’s Republic tour, the Year of Children’s and Youth Culture 2017
Main organiser: Estonian Government Office
Additional information: eu2017.ee

The winners were selected by TMW music industry delegates among the 133 Estonian artists from this year’s TMW edition. All winners have a distinguished sound and artistic image as well as export potential.

The delegates pointed out Mart Avi’s artistic concept, modern and unique sound and playful vocals. Music critic and scholar Simon Reynolds noted that “unlike with a lot of conceptronica, his thoughtful thoughts don’t get in the way of the seduction effect.” Anastasia Connor of Drowned in Sound labeled Avi as a “true child of post-genre“ and his TMW performance as one of her most extraordinary concert experience of recent years.

Mart Avi’s live was based on his latest highly praised album “Rogue Wave.”
”After recovering from a severe fracture I directed my new skeleton into the TMW performances,” says Avi. “I had proper fireworks going on in my head that I tried to direct down from the stage, to avoid going up in flames myself.” Avi is not going to stop here: ”The prize money will go to cover technical damages and future “after-shocks”. I’ll also be working on a new album, hopefully to be released this year. Thank you!”

Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Erki Pärnoja presented his first solo album “Efterglow” together with his band. TMW delegates noted his unique Nordic touch, impressionist guitar riffs, film like soundscape and high instrumental skills of the whole band. Chris Kellogg of the USA KEXP station called Pärnoja a “fantastic discovery”, the editor of Tape Op Alex Maiolo pointed out that Efterglow shows the unique Nordic feel of “landscape soundtrack”.

Pärnoja said that this year’s TMW was especially busy and fruitful: ”We made four shows. In Club Sinilind the audience and band erupted in a riot, the home concert opened up a real new format of a common understanding between the artist and audience. At the largest concert in Vaba Lava we experienced some pin drop moments – such a deep stillness as if no one was even breathing. The gig in BiitMe Record Store was the dot on the I for our TMW tour.” Pärnoja hopes to perform “Efterglow” live a lot more: “I think live performance brings the recorded material to new life and moves it further. We have quite a few showcase festivals in Europe coming up this year and the prize is a big help for this.”

The electronic indie pop artist NOËP aka singer and producer Andres Kõpper was praised for his engaging and skilful performance including the hit singles “Move” and “Rooftop”. Clotaire Buche of the French music agency Junzi Arts praised NOËP as the “next big thing” whilst Jeffrey Barney of the US Minneapolis Magazine called the multi talent one-man-band “a possible global draw”.

Kõpper, already a successful act under the Swedish Sony Music label, is pleasantly surprised: “TMW is still a great opportunity to present one’s music and live skills internationally without crossing country borders.” He plans to use the prize money for the finishing touches of new songs and possibly a new microphone.

Telliskivi Creative City, TMW’s long-term partner has awarded the artist prize for the second time. Telliskivi has become an ever more active partner of the festival as well as a great contributor to the cultural life of Tallinn. Apart from festivals like TMW and Jazzkaar Telliskivi hosts a number of cultural events, it’s a location for the band house, offices of TMW and Music Estonia.

Earlier winners of the TMW artist prize are: Popidiot (2009), Iiris (2010), Ewert and The Two Dragons (2011), Talbot (2012), Elephants From Neptune (2013), Odd Hugo (2014), Maarja Nuut (2015) and I Wear* Experiment (2016).
The ninth Tallinn Music Week took place from 27th March to 2nd April presenting 250 artists from 32 countries, a conference programme and discoveries of the city space, film, arts, food and public talks.

The tenth Tallinn Music Week will take place from 2nd to 8th April 2018. Artist application will open in September 2017.

Festival passes at 35 euros and conference passes at 100 euros are on sale in the TMW web store 

The ninth edition of TMW attracted nearly 37 000 visitors from 27th March to 2nd April. The overarching topic of this year’s festival was sustainable development and its many areas from environmental urban development to inclusive communities and equal opportunities.

The TMW conference Creative Impact on 31st March and 1st April was attended by 1193 delegates, among them 781 international delegates. President Kersti Kaljulaid called TMW in her opening speech the test polygon of the society that shows how to creatively find a compromise between different opinions.

“Here you can think away all contradictions and make room for all different opinions! Think about how to use technology to overcome contradictions and if that is not an option, then think how to talk yourselves and your conversation partners through the contradictions so that finally they will simply dissolve. Show us what a resourceful spirit and flexible mind can achieve!” said Kaljulaid.

President Kaljulaid’s opening speech

The 30 discussions of the conference presented 112 speakers, among them London’s first night czar Amy Lamé, influential pop culture author Simon Reynolds, founder of Sound Diplomacy Shain Shapiro, Barbara Gessler from the EU Culture Directorate and others. TMW conference also presented inspiring stories like the “Forbidden songs” of Norwegian Moddi, the North-Korea experience of Laibach, the nomadic artists Alexander Hacke and Danielle de Picciotto as well as the award-winning sound engineer Mandy Parnell.

Helen Sildna, founder and head of TMW pointed out the symbolic value of the conference venue, Russian Cultural Centre: “With the creative impact we can bring communities, nations and mindsets together. That’s the core of our debates.”

TMW 2017 concerts took place on 80 stages across town. In addition to the showcase concerts on main stages also more than 100 city stage concerts brought music and audiences to unusual places from a thrift store to a hotel suite. Among the most popular events were the techno marathon at the railway station Balti Jaam, the Weekend Festival club night in Club Hollywood, concerts by Jazzkaar, Jazz association and Viljandi Folk at Vaba Lava and Radio 2 showcase at Von Krahl. The sold-out opening concert “Radio Head Rewritten” at Kultuurikatel, conducted by Kristjan Järvi was one of the highlights as well as a joint concert by power-folk band Trad.Attack! and the Ukrainian electro-folk group Onuka.

Tommy Cash and the Danish rapper Black Daniels played secret gigs at the garage hack. Also new and notable were the concerts at the thrift store Uuskasutuskeskus and Tallinn Botanical Garden as well as three acoustic sets at people’s homes.

Other TMW events – the gallery tours, film screenings, restaurants and city space actions –  also attracted lots of visitors. The footpath from the railway station to Telliskivi Creative City was lit up with light installations by students of Estonian Academy of Arts, music and street food. Old soviet era garages at the foot of Tallinn’s business district were given a new lease of life. Special Mexican and Japanese home dinners were popular as well as the unique Trash Cooking dinner by top chef Peeter Pihel.

The TMW pop-up restaurant, run by Ungru from Hiiumaa island this time, attracted full houses of foodies as well as participants to the talks on topics from future urban developments to space exploration. 30 songwriters and producers joined the international song writing camp.

The public vote for the favourite artist, organized jointly by Telia, Spotify and TMW is open until midnight of 5th April. The winner will be announced next week. More info.

The video competition #hoolin about sustainable lifestyle will end on 7th April. More info.

The tenth Tallinn Music Week will take place from 2nd to 8th April 2018. Festival passes at €35 and conference passes at €100 are on sale at TMW web store.

Tallinn Music Week 2017 in numbers:

250 artists from 32 countries
36 823 festival visitors
1193 conference delegates, 879 international delegates
132 international press
80 venues
250 000 website visits from 150 countries

Tallinn Music Week 2016 in numbers:

250 artists from 30 countries
34 676 festival visitors
1036 conference delegates, 781 international delegates
128 international press
70 venues
195 505 website visits from 144 countries

Tallinn Music Week thanks the supporters:

Presenter: Nordea Bank.
Main sponsors: Telia, Nordic Hotel Forum, Enterprise Estonia / Visit Estonia and Eesti Meedia
Festival centre and official hotel: Nordic Hotel Forum
Partners: Uber, Viru Keskus, Telliskivi Creative City, Solaris, Music Estonia, NGO Mondo, Lingvist, Tuborg, LaMuu, Fritz-Kola, Moe Peenviinavabrik, architecture practice PART
Supporters: Ministry of Culture, Tallinn Cultural Heritage Department, Tallinn Enterprise Department, European Fund of Regional Development, Embassy of Canada, British Council, Swedish Embassy.

TMW sustainability initiative was supported by Ministry of Environment, NGO Mondo, Representation of the European Commission in Estonia, Government Office, embassy of Sweden and KODA by Kodasema.

Festival website and #hoolin campaign: Velvet
Festival app: Festivality
Festival visual design: Mariana Hint-Rääk, illustration Viktor Gurov
Music compilations: Eesti Pops

Comments by partners and visitors

Indrek Saar, Estonian Minister of Culture:

“Tallinn Music Week has grown from a music festival into an internationally influential urban culture and vision festival that touches the key topics of the society bravely. Within a short time the festival has become an active and effective promoter of Estonian music and talent in the world and a shaper of the European cultural policy.”

Gerd Müller, Head of Nordea

“Nordea’s relationship with Tallinn Music Week is based on mutual respect and constant learning. We at Nordea have had an honour of being close by and offer our support to see how a week-long music event has become a forum that throughout the year contributes to and promotes debate on social matters. How Helen and her team has grown from concert organizers into opinion-leader in the society.”

Barbara Gessler, Directorate General Education and Culture, European Commission

“Tallinn Music Week has displayed the creative potential of Estonia and its capital in a very impressive way. It shows how the creative sector and pop music in particular can bring about societal changes and open up new horizons, for the economy and across generations. The festival’s presence in the city and the way it is supported by its citizens and government and promoted by the musicians, artists and designers proves that music and creativity can make a real difference in and for Europe.”

Vanessa Reed, Chief Executive, PRS for Music:

“Tallinn Music Week is unlike most other music industry conferences I’ve attended because it’s pushing the definitions of what an event of this kind can be in the 21st century. It embraces art, politics, tech and urbanism in a bold and intelligent way. It crosses genres and sectors in easy to find spaces, which give you an insight into Estonia’s past and present. It breathes the energy of a city where smart young leaders are using music & the creative industries to drive social and political change. I’ll definitely be back in 2018. I have a feeling that there are even greater things to come as Helen Sildna, the festival’s pioneering Director, leads us towards TMW’s 10th anniversary.”Ivan Novak,

Ivan Novak, member of Laibach:

“The West is dead, it has lost its mojo! If you want to hear some really good new music, discuss relevant things about music and culture and get a blast of life from the young and beautiful city, come to Tallinn Music Week!”

Brian Reich, communications expert:

“I returned to Tallinn Music Week and the Creativity for Change conference believing nothing could top my experience from last year – and I was wrong. This year’s event was even better. As always there was an extraordinary group of people gathered to share smart ideas and commit themselves to efforts that improve the world. But this year, it was also clear that the issues being addressed – from the role of technology and creativity in creating economic opportunity for everyone to how we can use our imagination to break down barriers and drive innovation – were more important to the future of society than ever before. Tallinn is a vibrant hub for people who are doing ambitious, important and wonderfully creative work, and the ideas emerging from TMW will have wide-reaching impact. Leaders in business, philanthropy, government, science, the arts, and more should look at Tallinn as a model for how to make great things happen.”

Simon Reynolds, music critic and author:

“I had a fabulous time at TMW 2017 – saw many interesting bands, met many interesting people, had many interesting conversations – and all in the setting of one of Europe’s most charming cities. I’ve been to great number of music festival/conferences over the years and this was one of the very best experiences.”

John Robb, musician and journalist:

„Way more than just a music conference, the boundary breaking TMW is in the premier league of music events not just by its sheer ambition and scale of music. Culture and creativity that it celebrates. It’s also this open minded spirit and genre breaking ideal of collaboration that not only sees the myriad of stages in the beautiful Estonian capital full of music from classical to hardcore from hip hop to left field and sometimes all merged into one but a genuine positive spirit that seems to be infusing the forward thinking of the government and society of its host country. In a world were the doors seem to be closing and borders coming down TMW is bucking the trend and inspiring the real future for music, culture and the kind of lives that we want to lead. TMW knows that a broken world needs a culture hug!”

Stepan Kazaryan, head of Moscow Music Week and BOLь:

„TMW is growing both in popularity and in terms of professionalism every year. The conference panels made me miss both of my lunches, so interesting they were. This year the quality of the bands also jumped drastically. And I’m happy to mention that young bands from the New Russian scene that I support so much back home and that were selected by TMW curators this year managed to enjoy success among both professionals and the audience in such controversial times. TMW showed once again that it is truly independent and politically unbiased event, which became very rare in our todays common European home.“

Moddi, musician and activist:

“At Tallinn Music Week, I met people who truly care for music, and who understand that we are in this together. Good things happen in the beating heart of Europe.”

Kimmo Pohjonen, musician:

„I was pretty amazed what has happened to the Estonian music scene. So many interesting acts with really wide music range. I felt cool self-confidence and professionalism which was followed by all the Estonian acts I heard. Many different and great venues with good technical conditions all around the town and the overall feeling very positive. And I really mean this. Can’t wait the next year which is 10 years celebration to TMW and 100 to Estonia.“

Sven Nuutmann, Chairman of the Board, Eesti Meedia:

“Eesti Meedia goes hand in hand with events that share the same values with our organization. These values include passion, creativity, courage and responsibility. The organizers of Tallinn Music Week are clearly one of the most creative and courageous teams in Estonia, who are not afraid to push boundaries, experiment with new ideas and do it all with great passion. TMW is a living proof of the fact that responsible behavior is our common goal, whatever the field.”

Katrin Isotamm, Communications Manager, Telia Eesti:

„TMW has a strong and committed team. Every year they break new limits and do something extraordinary and different. From Telia’s point of view, our partnership is full of great ideas and inspiration. We especially cherished this year’s focus on sustainable development because in that way, this important subject will find the wider audience it needs.”

Feliks Mägus, CEO of Nordic Hotel Forum:

„TMW is without a doubt one of the most beautiful success stories of Estonia – a committed team, led by a strong leader, transforms a cool music festival into a powerful urban culture festival which is talked about all over the world. TMW thinks big, widens our horizons and helps us see further into the future than we could or dared by ourselves. We are very happy to support the festival and the creation of big ideas and be part of the synergy that happens here between music and people.”

Piret Reinson, Head of Marketing, Enterprize Estonia:

„Tallinn Music Week is the most beautiful reflection of what Estonia is and what is possible here. How many different stages, food outlets, great ideas and good music. Ans all these places full of nice open-minded people from dozens of countries. Culture and ideas will make Estonia big. I am incredibly happy for the resonance created by TMW. The more Estonians take part of that metropolitan borderless world, the more confidence we gain.”

Classical orchestras jam with rappers, technology is threaded with mystical ancient folk, bands play stunning old cinemas, dive bars and open squares. The cobbles of a beautiful old city echo to high decibel of beautiful noise in a life-affirming party of music, ideas and impassioned talk.

Way more than just a music conference, the boundary-breaking TMW is in the premier league of music events not just by its sheer ambition and scale of music. culture and creativity that it celebrates. It’s also this open-minded spirit and genre breaking ideal of collaboration that not only sees the myriad of stages in the beautiful Estonian capital full of music from classical to hardcore from hip hop to left field and sometimes all merged into one but a genuine positive spirit that seems to be infusing the forward thinking of the government and society of its host country. In a world where the doors seem to be closing and borders coming down TMW is bucking the trend and inspiring the real future for music, culture and the kind of lives that we want to lead.

Tallinn Music Week knows that a broken world needs a culture hug.

Choosing your favourite can be done at the TMW website or in the TMW app*. There are nearly 250 artists in the programme and you can choose any of them.

To vote in the web: log in to myTMW, go to artists and choose a rating from 5-stars for any artist you like to vote for.

To vote in the app: 5-star rating is under each artist profile. When you vote in the app, to register to win cool Bose speakers as a voter, please log in with myTMW or simply fill your profile in the app Settings.

You can rate as many artists as you wish, both in the web or the app.

The voting lasts from March 27th to the midnight of April 5th. The winners, both the artists and the voter, will be announced a week after the festival at TMW and Telia Facebook pages. In previous years, the winners have been Estonian rapper Metsakutsu and Lithuanian indie rock bands BA and Garbanotas Bosistas.

*Get the free TMW2017 app for Apple iOS or Android phones or search for “Tallinn Music Week” or “TMW 2017” at the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Released by the record label Ondine, the album’s conception and contents will be discussed by Erkki-Sven Tüür and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra’s first clarinet Christoffer Sundqvist. The conversation is moderated by composer Liisa Hirsch, who received the Heino Eller Music Prize in March for the outstanding quality and success of her compositions from previous years.

The new album features a clarinet concerto, commissioned by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, called “Peregrinus Ecstaticus” (“Ecstatic Pilgrim”), which premiered in 2013 at Helsinki’s Musiikkitalos. The piece also features a piano virtuoso Christoffer Sundqvist, who has inspired many contemporary composers with his playing. Sundqvist has said that he likes the strength and expressiveness of Tüür’s music.

In addition to “Peregrinus Ecstaticus”, the album also contains an orchestral piece called “Le poids des vies non vécues” (“The weight of unfulfilled lives”), which is dedicated to the people who died in the War of Independence and the First World War. The piece was commissioned by the Belgian National Orchestra to commemorate the passing of 100 years from the biggest carnage in the human history. Pieces were commissioned from all European countries that were affected by the war’s events.

The album’s swansong is a double concerto for violin and clarinet called “Noesis”, which features Christoffer Sundqvist and distinguished Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto. The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Hannu Lintu, who has been working as the orchestra’s main conductor since the 2013/2014 season. It is also his first concert as the main conductor of Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

The discussion about composer Erkki-Sven Tüür’s new album takes place on Saturday, April 1st in Mustpeade Maja Fraternity Hall at 5 pm at Klassikaraadio Contemporary Music Stage feat. C3 Festival showcase.

President Kaljulaid said: “The TMW is a good test polygon of the new society. Here you can think away all contradictions and make room for all different opinions! Think about how to use technology to overcome contradictions and if that is not an option, then how to talk yourselves and your conversation partners through the contradictions so that finally they will simply dissolve. Show us what a resourceful spirit and flexible mind can achieve! Show us also what a real campaign of the ideas to the benefit of our city, our Tallinn, idealistically could be! Raise the bar high, and then it will be good to see in autumn whether the traditional form of debate – local government elections – can jump that bar! Give us a strong benchmark!”

She pointed out that the musical approach of TMW to cross borders and fences and even deny that they exist extends to its approach to the society as well.

Helen Sildna, the founder and head of TMW, set focus on the new venue of the conference in the Russian Cultural Centre: “The location carries a beautiful symbol for us. Creative Impact can bring together all communities, nationalities and ways of thinking. And this in fact is the core of our discussions here today.”

Among the TMW Creative Impact conference speakers are Minister of Culture Indrek Saar, London’s Night Czar Amy Lamé, the acclaimed music critic Simon Reynolds, an award-winning mastering engineer Mandy Parnell, Barbara Gessler from the European Commission, Estonia’s CIO Siim Sikkut, Head of Nordea Estonia Gerd Müller and CEO of Telia Estonia Dan Strömberg, as well as an impressive list of innovative entrepreneurs and visionaries from different sectors and many continents. The panel moderators feature top international journalists from Kate Connolly (The Guardian), Damien McGuinness (BBC), Elisabeth Braw (Nonresident Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council) to John Robb (Louder Than War).

The complete conference programme

Please use the handy My Schedule tool to navigate between the venues and topics.

The complete list of conference speakers

One-day conference passes are available at TMW web store.

One Day Conference Pass for 125 EUR grants access to all the conference panels in Russian Cultural Centre and Nordic Hotel Forum.

One Day Conference Pass does not apply to TMW music festival or other events.

TMW 2017 delegate passes grant access to the conference seminars and priority access to the music festival as well as the database of registered contacts.

TMW 2017 Priority Passes for €150are on sale at TMW web store.

“After my largest solo show to date – “Home and Away” at Kumu in the summer of 2015 – I suddenly felt like, after so many years, finally something was detaching me from the hook of telling these family stories. I felt like as I was digging a hole through the bedroom floor and through the cellar deeper and deeper into the ground, there were so many interesting things happening around the house I would have liked to have processed.” reveals Mäetamm concerning the basis for his thematic shift.

When Marko Mäetamm had his last exhibition at the City Gallery 12 years ago, he probably wouldn’t have dreamt that the subject that he started working with at that exhibition, of home and family life as a model for larger socio-political and economic mechanisms, would become the basis for his work for the entire following decade. Now Mäetamm is back at the City Gallery and this time with quite a new direction. At the exhibition we will see excerpts from a travel diary, large paintings, comics, sculptural objects and much more. The abundance of pictures is dizzying and reminiscent of the endless streams on social media.

Art Hall curator, Siim Preiman, finds the key to explaining the exhibition in the title, “At first, Mäetamm’s humorous tone can be misleading and make us think it is a light-hearted joke. I think it’s the opposite – the artist focuses on the social justice warriors within us all, who just stream, like and tweet, but who are incapable of actually taking part in solving global problems.”

You can also buy Marko Mäetamm’s book TALES OF MESSENGER at the exhibition.

Marko Mäetamm will also perform with the band Karamell during Tallinn Music Week. Catch them on Friday, 31 March in Kuku Klubi at 8 pm.

Find the event in the schedule

The president of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid will open the conference at the Russian Cultural Centre (RCC) on Friday, 31st March at 10 to be followed by two days of discussions at two venues.

Helen Sildna, founder of TMW: “We have created the whole festival for learning and meaningful exchange. The festival is our expression of an integrated world, where we see swift and seamless connection points between arts, economy, innovation, openness, sustainability and creativity. A holistic vision of a society, where different disciplines learn from each other and add value. I believe this conference programme is really the best we have done so far. All topics we discuss are created in hope of triggering inspiration, collaboration and out-of-the box ideas.”

Some of the greatest stories of TMW conference from the movers and shakers of music industry’s technical side will be shared by an award-winning mastering engineer Mandy Parnell, a woman behind some top musical releases from Björk to Aphex Twin. The acclaimed music critic Simon Reynolds presents his new book Shock and Awe, a history of glam rock and art pop, examining even the uncanny reflections of glam in current politics. In a discussion on “forbidden songs” Norwegian singer-storyteller and activist Moddi will share his story of banned songs from Pussy Riot’s Punk Prayer to Kate Bush’s Army Dreamers. Ivan Novak, the leader of Slovenian conceptual group Laibach will talk about his band’s struggle to get their songs through the needle’s eye of censorship before performing in totalitarian North Korea.

TMW is proud to present the inspiring brand case study of Moomins from Finland – in a year when Estonia’s Nordic neighbours celebrate their country’s 100th birthday, but also to take a look at Africa to show how arts can change lives of whole communities in the slums of Kenya.

The mega panel on Saturday morning will try to tie all the topics and endeavours  – technology, sustainability, creativity – together into a vision of a future society, where different disciplines complement each other and knowledge doesn’t disappear between industry silos.

Among the TMW Creative Impact conference speakers are Minister of Culture Indrek Saar, London’s Night Czar Amy Lamé, Barbara Gessler from the European Commission, Estonia’s CIO Siim Sikkut, Head of Nordea Estonia Gerd Müller and CEO of Telia Estonia Dan Strömberg, as well as an impressive list of innovative entrepreneurs and visionaries from different sectors and many continents. The panel moderators feature an impressive list of top international journalists from Kate Connolly (The Guardian), Damien McGuinness (BBC), Elisabeth Braw (Nonresident Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council) to John Robb (Louder Than War).

The complete programme is now available on the TMW website

Please use the handy My Schedule tool to navigate between the venues and topics.

The complete list of conference speakers

From today 27th March there are also one-day conference passes available at TMW web store.

One Day Conference Pass for €125 grants access to all the conference panels in Russian Cultural Centre and Nordic Hotel Forum.
One Day Conference Pass does not apply to TMW music festival or other events.

TMW conference is organized in collaboration with Music Estonia.

TMW conference rooms are furnished by Norr11 and Elke Mööbel

TMW 2017 delegate passes are available for €295 at TMW web store. Sign up as a delegate and buy your pass. TMW delegate pass grants access to the conference seminars and priority access to the music festival as well as the database of registered contacts.

TMW 2017 festival passes for €60 are on sale at TMW web store.

TMW 2017 priority passes for €150are on sale at TMW web store.

This year’s edition of TMW from 27th March to 2nd April will present the music festival line-up and two-day industry conference, a series of free City Stage concerts, TMW Arts programme, curated by the Estonian Contemporary Arts Development Centre, Design Market showcasing the most exciting Baltic and Scandinavian brands and designs, TMW Talks series with topics from music to science and societal issues, City Space activities in cooperation with the interior designers of Estonian Academy of Arts and a kids and youth special programme for the first time.

How big is the ecological footprint of digital music? Are we teaching the people of tomorrow the world of yesterday? What should be done in urban design to encourage more human touch in business? Who killed music genres? Most events will be held in English.

TMW Talks kick off on Monday at 17 at the TMW pop-up with a discussion “The antiquities of Baltic rock”. Held in Russian and led by music critic Artemy Troitsky a pan-Baltic panel will look into why the Baltic music scene managed to retain a different character even under Soviet suppression of popular culture. At 18.30 Must Puudel Café hosts the discussion led by ESTCube on space exploration and technology via artistic utopias.

The menu of the surprising talk cocktails for the week also includes “Sex & Plants & Rock’n’Roll”. Being a rock star used to be associated with substance abuse, now artists are considered cool for being vegan – Iron Man rock star Tanel Padar will share his insights along with sports enthusiasts and anthropologists.

TMW’s Ingrid Kohtla will moderate a discussion on the future of music genres between renowned pop culture scholars: Simon Reynolds, the author of eight books about pop culture, music journalist Kieron Tyler, and Kevin Cole, Senior Director of Programming at KEXP.

Laibach’s Ivan Novak, the master of Art, Propaganda and Ideology still manages to thrive using shock and provocation. Novak and film producer Uldis Cekulis will speak about their experience regarding a mysterious chain of events that led them to become the first Western band to officially perform in totalitarian North-Korea.

London’s Night Czar Amy Lamé will roast Estonian politicians’ vision of city development. Finnish songwriter Astrid Swan opens up about how in spite of a cancer diagnosis she managed to continue her creative career.

The sustainability block includes talks on how to change the understanding that progress means more production and how to change the world by changing eating habits.

The TMW Talks are held from 27th March to 1st April in two venues: 17-18 at the TMW pop-up restaurant in Architecture and Design Gallery (Pärnu mnt 6) and 18:30-19:30 at Café Must Puudel (Müürivahe 29).

TMW Talks schedule:

Monday, 27th March:
17:00-18:00 The antiquities of Baltic rock – TMW pop-up (Pärnu maantee 6) (RU)
18:30-19:30 ESTCube presents: Expanding human presence in the Solar System: culture, beauty and sustainability (Müürivahe 20) (ENG)

Tuesday, 28th March
17:00-18:00 Cultural value and waste – TMW pop-up (Pärnu maantee 6) (EST)
18:30-19:30 Telia Talk: Sex & Plants & Rock’n’Roll – Must Puudel (Müürivahe 20) (EST)

Wednesday, 29th March
17:00-18:00 Media of the future/the future of media – TMW pop-up (Pärnu maantee 6) (EST)
18:30-19:30 Planet on the plate – Must Puudel (Müürivahe 20) (ENG)

Thursday, 30th March
17:00-18:00 Who killed genre? – TMW pop-up (Pärnu maantee 6) (ENG)
18:30-19:30 Urban innovators, unite! – Must Puudel (Müürivahe 20) (EST)

Friday, 31th March
17:00-18:00 New dogs, old tricks – TMW pop-up (Pärnu maantee 6) (ENG)
18:30-19:30 Tanz mit Laibach – Must Puudel (Müürivahe 20) (ENG)

Saturday, 1st April
15:30-16.30 Astrid Swan – From the Bed to the Stage – the story of courage and re-invention, rebirth of an artist – Must Puudel (Müürivahe 20) (ENG)
17:00-18:00 24 Hour Party People. Amy Lamé and Estonian politicians’ visions of city development. – TMW pop-up (Pärnu maantee 6) (ENG)
18:30-19:30 Festival –  to be or not to be? – Must Puudel (Müürivahe 20) (ENG)

Schedule and more information about TMW Talks

TMW 2017 festival passes for €60 are on sale at TMW web store.

TMW 2017 delegate passes are available for €295 at TMW web store. Sign up as a delegate and buy your pass. TMW delegate pass grants access to the conference seminars and priority access to the music festival as well as the database of registered contacts.

TMW 2017 Priority Passes are on sale at TMW web store.