In the “Popakademie Talks” series, guests from the music and culture sector discuss various current topics. In the 2025/26 winter semester, three talks will be held on the topic of “Populism and Extremism.”

On Tuesday, November 11, journalist and author Valerie Schönian will be a guest at Popakademie Talks, where she will report on populism and radicalism in eastern Germany. She was born in 1990 in Gardelegen, Saxony-Anhalt, and grew up in Magdeburg. Schönian studied German philology and political science in Berlin and trained at the German School of Journalism in Munich. She has been awarded the Marlies Hesse Young Talent Prize, among others, and was nominated for the Theodor Wolff Prize and the Reporter Prize. Her books “Halleluja” and “Ostbewusstsein” were published by Piper Verlag. Valerie Schönian has been working for DIE ZEIT since 2017, initially as an editor in the Leipzig office and, since 2019, as an author.

Participation in the talk is free of charge.

In cooperation with the Popakademie, the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts is presenting the POPLÄND Award for the first time. Three categories (live act, live music venue, producing) will each receive €10,000 in prize money. Further information to follow.

Experience the current generation of the Bandpool and take a look behind the scenes of our newcomer program Bandpool. LIVE & LOUD!

Admission to the concert is free!

5:30 p.m. Welcome by Business Director Michael Herberger and Artistic Director Derek von Krogh
5:40 p.m. Lecture on Music Business B.A. (approx. 20 min.)
6:00 p.m. Lecture on Pop Music Design & Global Music B.A. (approx. 20 min.)
6:20 p.m. Open Q&A session

Participation only after egistration here

Popakademie bands live on stage!

At the "Work in Progress Club" the students of the Department of Popular Music present their current projects.

Admission is free.

Celebrate with the DJs from the Popakademie!

Pure club atmosphere: Students from the Popular Music department will be performing their artist projects live as DJs at Club 003.

Admission is free.

Lineup:
COREALIS B2B HALLI KALLI
MAXOMAR B2B SCANE
JOAHNNES SPANIOL
CY:BORG
VYU
BUFFASYZE B2B KEMARE

Beats & Sound of the producing students! The line-up of the Producer's Club consists of students from the Pop Music Design bachelor's programme and the Popular Music master's programme with a focus on Producing/Composing Artist.

Admission is free.

In the “Popakademie Talks” series, guests from the music and culture sector discuss various current topics. In the 2025/26 winter semester, three talks will be held on the topic of “Populism and Extremism.”

On Tuesday, December 16, cultural sociologist Dr. Anna Schwenck will speak on populism and music. Her research focuses on popular music and food as material for populist and national performances, and her new research project examines the extent to which moral capital is becoming more important for social advancement, self-optimization, and the search for meaning—under the conditions of a globally strengthening flexible capitalism. In the winter semester 2025/2026, she will be a postdoctoral fellow in the Sociology Department of the Institute for Eastern European Studies at Freie Universität Berlin.

Participation in the talk is free of charge.

Popakademie bands live on stage!

At the "Work in Progress Club" the students of the Department of Popular Music present their current projects. The Popakademie choir will also be on stage on December 17.

Admission is free.

The Producer's Club is entering the next round with beats and sounds from producing students! The lineup consists of producing students from the bachelor's program in pop music design and the master's program in popular music with a focus on producing/composing artist.

Admission is free.

Popakademie bands live on stage!

At the "Work in Progress Club" the students of the Department of Popular Music present their current projects.

Admission is free.

Experience the Popakademie students on stage during their concert exams!

Admission is free.

February 15th is the Popakademie's info day.

On this day, the Popakademie offers lectures and information about studying at the Popakademie as well as study advice from staff, lecturers and students.
In addition, the Info Day provides insights into the Popakademie's project and competence areas.