POLAR TALKS, presented by The Polar Music Prize, is an international series of inspiring talks and lectures on cutting edge topics. Artists, scientists, creatives and opinion makers coalesce around the central theme of ”The Power of Music”. The not-to-be-missed talks focus on some of the myriad ways that music can produce powerful outcomes across a range of social, artistic and scientific disciplines. Music has the power to change the world and the Polar Talks inspires all who attend, to do just that.

Polar Talks 2018

Lisa Lindström, Anna Ryott & Loreen (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
Sofia Alexandersson, Peter Larsson, Jesper Nordin (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
Josephine Forsman, Howlin' Pelle Almqvist (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)

On June 13, 2018, the Polar Music Prize presented one day with three different conference programs at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm: Polar Talks, Polar Tech and Meet the Laureates, exclusive on stage interviews with the Laureates of 2018.

On stage: Dr Ahmad Sarmast, Lars Ulrich, co-founder of Metallica,  Ashish J Thakkar, Sophia Bendz, Josephine Forsman, Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, Fares Hamed, Lisa Lindström, Anna Ryott and many more.

Watch Polar Talks on Youtube

POLAR TALKS PODCASTS 2018

Browse previous episodes

Watch the Talks

Meet the Laureates: Lars Ulrich (Metallica)

Exclusive on stage interview with Lars Ulrich from Metallica, by music journalist Jan Gradvall.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 1:08:03

Meet the Laureates 2018: Dr Ahmad Sarmast (ANIM)

Exclusive on stage interview with Dr Ahmad Sarmast, founder of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, by journalist Lasse Bengtsson.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 44:31

How entrepreneurs can prevent future refugee crises and boost integration

Keynote at Polar Tech 2018 by Ashish J Thakkar, serial entrepreneur, founder and chairman of Mara Group and philanthropist.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 15:58

Polar Tech panel 2018: Three perspectives on new solutions for integration

Loreen, Ashish J Thakkar and Emma Rosman. Moderators: Anna Ryott and Lisa Lindström.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 13:34

Polar Tech 2018: Songlines live

A presentation of the Songlines organisation and live music: Ehsan Yaghoobi (piano) & Mohammad Zare (spoken word).
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 11:30

Polar Tech keynote 2018: How ANIM provides inclusive music education in Afghanistan

A keynote speech from Dr Ahmad Sarmast, founder of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, on ANIM's educational methods.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 20:15

Polar Tech panel 2018: Re-thinking and re-doing the learning landscape

Sophia Bendz (Executive in Residence at Atomico and former Global Marketing Manager at Spotify), Fares Hamed (founder of Changers Hub) and Joel Hellermark (founder Sana Labs). Moderators: Lisa Lindström and Anna Ryott.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 24:41

Polar Talks panel 2018: The Band

Moderators: Josephine Forsman (drummer, Sahara Hotnights, The Loud Program) and Alfons Karabuda (Chairman of the Polar Music Prize Award Committee and of SKAP).
Panelists: Robert Eriksson (The Hellacopters), Sofia Lilja (artist coach), Jack Jönsson (Jönssonligan), Linn Persson (saxophonist), Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist (The Hives)
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 32:56

Polar Talks panel 2018: The Variation

Moderator: Sofia Alexandersson from Share Music & Performing Arts
Panelists: Jesper Nordin (composer), Peter Larsson (musician) and Petra Assio (president of the students’ union at the Royal College of Music).
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 33:49

Polar Talks 2017: Back to the future

Lisa Lindström, Gunnar Bjursell, Alfons Karabuda
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 23:32

Polar Talks 2017: Calling the world, a global search for Laureates

Silja Fischer, Alfons Karabuda
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 20:38

Polar Talks 2017: a roadmap for gender diversity

Claire Singers, Aniela Unguresan, Ulrika Biesèrt, Katarina Berg
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 50:40

Polar Talks 2017: PSYCHOACOUSTICS: THE POWER OF SOUND TO CONTROL OUR MINDS

John Groves
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 38:29

Polar Talks 2017: The brave new world of music technology

Frederick Rousseau
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 27:54

Polar Talks 2017: Meet Wayne Shorter

Wayne Shorter interviewed by Miriam Aïda. Live music by Sirintip.
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 55:30

Polar Talks 2016 – From hip hop to pop: A talk with songwriter Ali Payami

Ali Payami
Interview by: Ametist Azordegan
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 19:20

Polar Talks 2016 – Creating a Swedish superstar

Helienne Lindvall, Michelle Kadir, Benji Rogers
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 30:43

Polar Talks 2016 – Alive Inside

Dan Cohen, Michael Rossato-Bennett, Itaal Shur. Moderator: Martin Ingvar
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 31:22

Polar Talks 2016 – Is the lecture room inhibiting creativity?

Örjan Strandberg, Adam Baptiste, Andrea Dankić, Peder Hofmann, Alfons Karabuda
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 30:37

Polar Talks 2016 – Is music education for all a right or a privilege?

Emily Achieng’ Akuno, Sir Roger Gifford, Ian Smith
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 30:27

Polar Talks 2016 – HOW IS MODERN LEADERSHIP CONNECTED TO MUSICALITY?

Hélène Barnekow, Eva Hillered, Lisa Lindström
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 25:18

Jan Gradvall meets Emmylou Harris

filmstaden-sergel
| 8 Jun 2015 | 28:06

Sweden’s creative industries – music

Fred Bronson, John Seabrook, Phil Manzanera, Linda Portnoff
filmstaden-sergel
| 8 Jun 2015 | 32:24

Sweden’s creative industries – gaming

Elvira Björkman, Stefan Strandberg, Johan Söderqvist, Per Strömbäck, Alfons Karabuda
filmstaden-sergel
| 8 Jun 2015 | 31:09

Sweden’s creative industries – fashion

Margareta van den Bosch, Lena Patriksson Keller, Roland Hjort, Ann-Sofie Back, Susanne Ljung
filmstaden-sergel
| 8 Jun 2015 | 32:01

Sweden’s creative industries

Mikael Damberg, Alfons Karabuda
filmstaden-sergel
| 8 Jun 2015 | 04:57

The science of music

Frederick Rousseau
filmstaden-sergel
| 8 Jun 2015 | 21:05

Polar Talks 2015

Alfons Karabuda
filmstaden-sergel
| 8 Jun 2015 | 07:25

Polar Music Prize through the years

Alfons Karabuda
filmstaden-sergel
| 8 Jun 2015 | 13:19

How to truly listen

Dame Evelyn Glennie, Bo Löfvendahl
filmstaden-sergel
| 8 Jun 2015 | 25:38

Lighting Design

"An hour before the show only three of the Olympic rings were working" - Patrick Woodroffe
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 5:48

X-system

"Unexpected events stimulates us" - Nigel Osborne
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 2:57

The Legacy of Chuck Berry

"Who said a white man can't play the blues?" - Dave Edmunds
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 4:24

Polar Music Prize Award

"To work with something that contains music is my passion" - Efva Attling
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 11:32

Co-creation in a digital age

"People care more when they are connected" - Johanna Olsson
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 20:00

Music in psychotherapy

"Music is preventive medicine" - Åsa Nilsonne
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 9:17

Making History Herstory

"Music history is written by men, about men, for men" - Lina Thomsgård
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 17:38

Lighting design

"For seven minutes he played in complete darkness" - Patrick Woodroffe
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 22:10

X-System

"Walking and music and rhythm, they're all linked together in our minds and bodies" - Nigel Osborne
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 19:20

Compassion

"Creating music is a way to invite other people into your world" - Fanny "FAYE" Hamlin
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 34:00

The Power of Music

"The Polar Music Prize is a celebration of diversity" - Alfons Karabuda
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 5:56

“Because it’s too much”

"He has an enormous ability to feel the music and put it on stage" - Wilhelm Carlsson about Peter Sellars
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 16:06

The Legacy of Chuck Berry

"Chuck Berry walked up on stage and took my guitar" - Dave Edmunds
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 16:38

The Blues had a baby and they named it Rock and Roll

"The cultural value of Chucks music is one of the greatest things about it" - Billy Altman
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 27:33

Trend Spotting

"Collaboration is the new creation" - Per Sundin
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 20:16

Spoken Word

Niklas Mesaros performing "The most elaborate and pretentious fan mail ever written and performed"
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 4:44

Afrofuturism

"The main misconception is that African music isn't viable anywhere until it makes it overseas" - Adam Tensta
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:28

Compassion

"Let's learn the lessons from the past and have compassion" - Bianca Jagger
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:48

Female Leadership

"The potential of women is enormous" - Margot Wallström
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:15

Studio Timbuktu

"Giving of your time is more important than donating money" - Jason Timbuktu Diakité
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:23

Meet the Laureates

"My imagination is very visual" - Kaija Saariaho
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 43:21

The frontrunner of change

"I think the change we have seen is just the beginning" - Martin Lorentzon
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:55

Metamorphosis

"I decided to turn my eyes towards the Asian market" - Carl Utbult
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 3:18

New Music in New Places

"To me everything begins with a song" - Seymour Stein
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 1:48

International Music Industry

"Songwriting and technology are two elements of a success" - Tomas Ericsson
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:48

Interview with Loreen

"I try to be as honest as I can be so that people can relate to it"
rigoletto
| 27 Aug 2012 | 21:19

Interview with Paul Simon

Paul Simon interviewed by music journalist Jan Gradvall.
rigoletto
| 27 Aug 2012 | 52:31

Interview with Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma interviewed by Camilla Lundberg.
rigoletto
| 27 Aug 2012 | 54:27

Voices from Polar Music Talks

rigoletto
| 27 Aug 2012 | 2:57

Interview with Patti Smith

"We all have the right to express ourselves" - Patti Smith. Short version interview.
nalen
| 29 Aug 2011 | 11:23

Interview with Kronos Quartet and Patti Smith

"Music happens in individual notes" - David Harrington, Kronos Quartet
nalen
| 29 Aug 2011 | 14:13

Interview with Patti Smith

"We all possess the creative impulse" - Patti Smith. Full version interview.
nalen
| 29 Aug 2011 | 39:58