STARMUS, POWERED BY ESET, ANNOUNCES ‘BRIDGE FROM THE FUTURE’ OPENING CONCERT BY JEAN-MICHEL JARRE WITH A SPECIAL GUEST SIR BRIAN MAY, STARMUS CAMP & CITY PROGRAM AND LAURIE ANDERSON

• Bridge from the Future, an exceptional one-off live concert- an event specially conceived and designed for this occasion by Jarre, will inaugurate the seventh edition of STARMUS Festival, celebrating also that Jean-Michel Jarre is joining STARMUS Advisory Board
• The festival ticket holders will have privileged access to the concert to enjoy two legendary musicians at STARMUS
• The multifaceted and visionary artist Laurie Anderson joins the unprecedented music line-up headlined by The Offspring with Tony Hadley as special guest
• With the STARMUS Camp & City program STARMUS VII, in partnership with ESET, will bring 6 full days of science, environment and music to Bratislava

Bratislava, Slovakia - April 11, 2024 – STARMUS, powered by ESET, unveils exciting details for the upcoming edition of the festival. STARMUS VII is set to open with a concert featuring Jean-Michel Jarre, set to captivate audiences with his groundbreaking performance. STARMUS co-founders Garik Israelian, PhD, Sir Brian May, Jean-Michel Jarre, ESET CEO Richard Marko also shared insights on the STARMUS Camp & City Program agenda, scheduled to take place from May 12th to May 17th. STARMUS organization has also shared that Jean-Michel Jarre is joining the STARMUS Advisory Board.

Garik Israelian said:

“Its been 16 years since Brian and I met Jean-Michel in London and proposed him a collaboration. We knew that Jean-Michel’s concert involves an ambitious production and never had an opportunity for this. It seems to me that we have been waiting for the Starmus Earth to make it happen. This is the first time STARMUS puts the spotlight on our planet and we want the general public to be more receptive than ever to the big questions of our time, of our planet. There is no doubt that kicking off this special edition with a performance as spectacular as "Bridge from the Future" will achieve that goal. Jean-Michel Jarre has always brought us music from the future to make us vibrate with the present, and that is the spirit of STARMUS.”

To open the Starmus festival, renowned electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre will take center stage for one-off live concert, titled Bridge from the Future. In association with ESET, a global leader in digital security, the electronic music pioneer will perform live at Incheba Bratislava, Slovakia on May 12 - against the stunning backdrop of the SNP (UFO) Bridge. He will be joined on stage by special guest Sir Brian May. The concert is taking place in cooperation with the City of Bratislava and is free to attend. It will be televised on Slovak National RTVS as well as globally via the EBU network and live-streamed on Jean-Michel Jarre’s YouTube channel.

Jean-Michel Jarre

"As we continue to learn from the past, we should today listen to the future, being receptive and attentive to the incoming signals. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and solutions, in all fields exist already there ahead, in the future, waiting for us to find them. It is our vocation as artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, and citizens, to engage and activate progress, in creating a bridge from the future: this is the spirit of STARMUS.”

Brian May said: “We’re thrilled that STARMUS VII will kick off with such a unique and spectacular show. And in this concert, Jean-Michel Jarre will set the tone for the spirit of this conference, specifically aimed towards addressing our planet's current problems.”

Richard Marko, ESET CEO said: “We couldn't be happier to announce that Jean-Michel Jarre is set to ignite the STARMUS Festival with his captivating performance. The location with its backdrop of the SNP Bridge serves as a metaphorical bridge between the past and the future. It encapsulates the contrast of eras. On one end stands the historic centre of Bratislava, and on the other, the retro-futuristic UFO monument. A similar contrast is seen in the story of ESET. In the beginning, few businesses and individuals used the antivirus we developed 30 years ago. Now, that stands in striking juxtaposition to the multi-layered, AI-powered technology combined with human expertise, used by hundreds of millions of people all around the world for their protection. In both cases, such progress was only made possible thanks to science.”

In addition to the STARMUS VII opening concert featuring Jean-Michel Jarre, the prestigious Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication ceremony, recognizing outstanding contributions to the dissemination of scientific knowledge and one-of-a-kind Sonic Universe Concert, promising an unforgettable fusion of music and science will host Laurie Anderson to have a performance titled 'Ark'/'Lifeboat,' adding to the diverse and captivating lineup of events at STARMUS VII.

Complementing the STARMUS Concert and Lectures Program is the immersive STARMUS Camp, a hub of exploration and learning designed to ignite curiosity and inspire the next generation of scientists. In collaboration with local universities and partners, the STARMUS Camp will offer innovative exhibitions, immersive experiences, and a dynamic live entertainment program. Located on the Main Square of Bratislava from May 12th to May 17th, this free-entry event invites attendees of all ages to embark on a journey of discovery, from the wonders of the cosmos to the marvels of the natural world.

The Starmus Camp offers a dynamic lineup of activities including a PBL Challenge, VUB Atlas Day, and Starmus Movie Screening. Participants will also enjoy performances by local and international artists such as Lash & Grey, FLANGR, Montseratt Marti, and Walter Shitzelson. Additionally, special appearances by OuOus, Sam Handwich, and Martin Valihora will enhance the experience along with performances by NEMRA, ADONXS, Derek Shirinian, and Vec & Skrupo.

More than 20 exclusive lectures and educational initiatives await participants in the STARMUS City Program, tailored specifically for universities (Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín and Masaryk University) participating in the festival. STARMUS City Program will feature captivating lectures by renowned experts and researchers at the mentioned universities throughout the week. Students will have the chance to engage with experts like Joel Parker discussing the first mission to the Trojan Asteroids, or Lucy in The Sky, and Damien Barcelo addressing Microplastics in the Environment: Analysis, Risks, and Sustainable Solutions. Other topics include Complex Peace for Complex Conflicts by Rim Turkmani, Exploring Mars: Following the Water with Scott Hubbard, and Donna Strickland's insights on Generating High-Intensity, Ultrashort Optical Pulses and many more. These lectures, covering a range of fascinating subjects from space exploration to environmental science, promise to enrich the academic experience and inspire future leaders in their respective fields.

The festival is honored to confirm that STARMUS VII will be held under the auspices of the President of the Slovak Republic, the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic and the Mayor of Bratislava and under the patronage of the European Commission Representation in Slovakia.

ESET provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, we stay ahead of known and emerging cyber threats—all to effectively secure businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud or mobile protection, our AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multi-factor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. An ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by our R&D centers and a strong global Partner Network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

Since the very first homo sapiens looked up at a star-filled sky, we have been awestruck by the vastness of the cosmos. Even today, we remain humbled by the sheer immensity of space, especially as progress in physics and astronomy has made us aware of the tremendous distances involved – even to our closest neighbouring stars.

Created by Garik Israelian PhD, astrophysicist at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC) and Sir Brian May PhD, astrophysicist, and the lead guitarist of the iconic rock band Queen, STARMUS is a festival of science, art and music that has featured presentations from astronauts, cosmonauts, Nobel Prize winners and prominent figures from various scientific disciplines and musical backgrounds. STARMUS brings Nobel laureates, eminent researchers, astronauts, thinkers, and artists together to share their knowledge and experiences, as we search for answers to the great questions.

Stephen Hawking and Alexei Leonov, together with STARMUS co-founders Sir Brian May and Garik Israelian, worked to create the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication in 2015, awarded to individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to science communication. Previous Stephen Hawking Medal winners include Dr. Jane Goodall, Elon Musk, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Jean-Michel Jarre, Brian Eno, Hans Zimmer, and the Apollo 11 documentary.

www.starmus.com

Jean-Michel Jarre has always been a futurist in his field. Throughout his illustrious career, the composer, performer, producer, and cultural ambassador has continued to break new ground with his music and his mastery of creative innovation. From his early pioneering role in electronic music, his use of multi-channel audio technology and production, to his recent explorations into the realms of VR performance and the metaverse, technology is at the forefront of everything he does. He is quoted as claiming that “today is the most exciting time to create, to make music, and to share across so many mediums”.

Jarre is UNESCO ambassador for education, science and culture, an unconditional defender of the planet and the environment and Laureate of the Stephen Hawking Medal for scientific communication.

Jarre’s current catalog, which now includes 22 studio albums, has generated sales of more than 85 million worldwide to date, and earned him countless awards and nominations. Throughout his career, Jarre has taken as canvas, some of the most iconic landmarks and UNESCO World Heritage sites around the globe for his creative, cultural, and environmental message. He has also set new Guinness World Records for live audience attendance at concerts in several emblematic locations. He was the first western musician to be invited to perform in China and has also created and performed concert-events at the Great Pyramids in Egypt, the Sahara Desert, the Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square, the Eiffel Tower, the Dead Sea, Al Ula and more. He has consistently sold-out arena and stadium tours across the continents, as well as performing at major festivals including Coachella. In 2021, he rang in the new year with Welcome To The Other Side, a groundbreaking livestream broadcast worldwide from a virtual Notre Dame in Paris. Entertainment trade publication US Pollstar states that the livestream attracted record breaking audiences of over 75 million viewers worldwide across various platforms, television channels and VR. On 25th December 2023, Jarre performed Versailles 400: a unique hybrid artistic creation conceived specifically to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Château de Versailles and performed in real life