Estonian music industry maverick Jüri Makarov to recount Estonia’s cultural revolution at the Tallinn Music Week conference
Estonian music industry pioneer Jüri Makarov will share memories of the legendary Rock Summer festival, the early days of the Baltic music industry and beyond at the Tallinn Music Week (TMW) conference. The recipient of this year’s Outstanding Contribution Award at the Estonian Music Industry Awards and a visionary will be interviewed by Finnish industry trailblazer and a long-time colleague of Makarov, Tapio Korjus.
The TMW conference takes place at Nordic Hotel Forum’s conference centre in Tallinn from 4-5 April.
Jüri Makarov’s contribution extends deep into the development of the music industry in Estonia and across the former Soviet bloc before and after the fall of the Iron Curtain. His greatest achievement was organising the Rock Summer festival at Tallinn Song Festival Grounds from 1988 to 1997, which helped shape Estonia’s cultural identity and music business. The birth of Rock Summer was unprecedented — this was the first festival of such magnitude in the entire Soviet Union featuring international artists on a grand stage with powerful sound and lighting equipment, something previously only glimpsed through Estonians’ “window to Europe” – Finnish TV.
In collaboration with Finnish partners and the entrepreneurial spirit of Makarov’s team, acts such as Public Image Ltd., The Stranglers, Faith No More, ZZ Top, Simple Minds, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Manowar, Bob Geldof, Iggy Pop, Blur, Mercury Rev, Inspiral Carpets, The Shamen, Super Furry Animals, Kid Creole and many others were brought to perform there.
Rock Summer also launched a new industry sector in Estonia with the first catering companies and sound & lighting equipment rentals. The event influenced Estonia’s music scenes from metal to club culture — the latter partly due to the festival afterparties where Public Image Ltd. members played acid house, captivating the eager ears of Estonia’s future DJs and producers who would later transform the nation’s nightlife scene.
Between organising Rock Summers, Makarov founded the Piraat nightclub in Tallinn, FM TOP Radio, Tipp TV, music magazine Kuum and a sound equipment rental company. He has also promoted concerts after the Rock Summer era, bringing acts like José Carreras, Joe Cocker, Savage Garden, Sting and magician David Copperfield to Estonia. He has also been involved in organising major skiing events including the Tartu Marathon and World Cup events. In 2003, the International Live Music Conference (ILMC) recognised him with the Best Promoter award.
This game-changer of the Estonian industry will share memories of both the birth of Rock Summer and Estonia’s singing and rocking itself to freedom. Expect fascinating anecdotes—from negotiations with international artists’ representatives to tales of the mythical “Makarov’s flute”—alongside candid reflections on the dizzying peaks and treacherous valleys of the music business. Makarov will also delve into his life beyond the spotlight, including metamorphosis into a sheep farmer and business consultant in Southeast Estonia.
Jüri Makarov will be interviewed by Finnish music industry maverick Tapio Korjus, who brings over five decades of experience to the conversation. As founder of Rockadillo Group, Korjus has managed artists who’ve performed over 2,000 shows across 40 countries whilst promoting countless international acts in Finland. Beginning his career as a rock journalist and DJ, he established Suomi-Pop in 1971 before expanding to Rockadillo Records, artist management and publishing. A co-founder of the Music & Media conference and Finnish Music Export Office, Korjus continues to shape the Nordic music landscape
This conversation between two industry legends takes place on Saturday, 5 April from 3:15pm to 4pm at Capella, Nordic Hotel Forum.
Previously announced TMW conference speakers include European promoter of Rammstein and the founder of MCT Agentur Scumeck Sabottka, Grammy-winning sound engineer Haydn Bendall, Managing Director of ESNS Anna van Nunen, Artistic Director of Wavelength Music Jonathan Bunce, Internationalisation Expert at Arts Promotion Centre Finland Maria Pirkkalainen-Barber, Live Nation promoter for the Baltics Eva Palm, Britt Randma, manager of Music Moves Europe Award-winning Night Tapes, and many more.
TMW 2025 conference at Nordic Hotel Forum runs from 4-5 April and the showcase festival across the city’s various venues from 3-5 April.
TMW 2025 passes are on sale at the TMW webshop.
PRO Pass for €225 (end price €250) provides access to the TMW conference and DigiPRO platform as well as priority access to the music festival. The TMW PRO programme offers inspiration, practical activities and networking options to about 1,300 international music industry professionals, artists, entrepreneurs and policymakers.
Festival Pass that grants access to all the music festival events is available for €79 (end price €85).