Other events in Baltic States

The sixth edition of Tallinn Music Week presented 227 artists from 20 countries, delighted 22,858 music fans and inspired 813 delegates, Tallinn Music Week said in a statement, cites LETA.

The conference was sold out for the second year in row.

The festival concerts took place in most prominent music clubs and concert halls in Tallinn – 227 acts from 20 countries performed on 34 stages. The City stage program had another successful edition, bringing the festival buzz to bookshops, music stores, galleries and cafés with free afternoon concerts. The favorite artist of the audience, selected by a public vote of TMW and EMT will be announced on April 7, 2014.

The president of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the head of Nordea Bank Estonia Andreas Laane and head of TMW Helen Sildna opened Tallinn Music Week music industry conference. In his thoughtful opening speech Ilves focused on freedom as the basis for human creativity and the role of arts in challenging the status quo that is vital for the development of a free society. By giving a prominent conference slot to the Russian punk protest group Pussy Riot Tallinn Music Week emphasized the crucial meaning of freedom of expression for the development of creativity and the underlying importance of tolerance for free and prosperous societies.

The festival welcomed Estonian superstar KERLI who in a lengthy interview disclosed her lessons learned and shared her personal story behind the success, stating, "Ego is the worst enemy of genius". Robert Levine, whose latest book "Free Ride" has changed the debate about the future of culture and Bob Stanley, musician, producer and author of "Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop", shared their thoughts and insights.

813 music entrepreneurs and representatives of music organizations participated at the conference, 508 of them from abroad and 307 from Estonia. There were participants from 28 countries, a large number from Finland (173), Latvia (78), UK (41), Lithuania (37), Russia (36), Germany (27), Sweden (16), Denmark (13), Belarus (11), France (9), Holland (9), Iceland (8) and Poland (6).

For the first time TMW-s own pop-up restaurant opened its doors as a festival hotspot and meeting place for tasty food and also as a venue for free afternoon concerts and "TMW Talks" side program. The restaurant festival “TMW Tastes” offered special menus and discounts for festival pass holders in 16 restaurants in Tallinn.

In the upcoming weeks TMW delegates and press will select this year’s Skype award winner who will receive 3500 EUR to develop its career.

The seventh Tallinn Music Week will take place on March 26-28, 2015.