Keynote Lecture at the "Symposium on Nordic Identity in Contemporary Popular Music"

Dr. Thomas Hilder gave a keynote lecture at the "Symposium om nordisk indentitet i nyere populærmusik" (Symposium on Nordic Identity in Contemporary Popular Music), held on 29th November at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory, Copenhagen. The symposium brought together local and international scholars, musicians and cultural activists to explore the ways in which notions of 'Nordic-ness' have shaped the performance, production, marketing and consumption of recent popular musics of the Nordic countries. Thomas Hilder's presentation, entitled "Regional and Global Aspects of Nordic Popular Music in the 21st Century", focused on the emergence of Sámi popular music and how it highlights trends in a broader Nordic popular music scene. Organised by Henrik Marstal and Rasmus Rex, the event also featured lectures by Prof. Fabian Holt (Roskilde) and Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdottir (Nordic Music Export) as well as two panel discussion.

Thomas Hilder completed his PhD in ethnomusicology at Royal Holloway, University of London, in 2010 with a thesis entitled Sámi Soundscapes: Music and the Politics of Indigeneity in Arctic Europe. His research focuses on popular and world repertories of the Nordic countries and London, with a particular interest in postcolonial theory, gender studies, transnationalism, and digital media. At the University of Hildesheim, he teaches courses on Nordic music, music and gender, and music and politics. Since 2012 he co-organises the annual International Doctoral Workshop in Ethnomusicology at the Center for World Music and Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media.