About
Music has always been at the heart of my life. At just 15, I received my first commission from Swedish Public Service Broadcasting (SVT), marking the beginning of a lifelong journey in music composition. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of composing for a wide range of productions — from the Royal Dramatic Theatre (Dramaten), Stockholm City Theatre, and Strindbergs Intima Teater, to international collaborations with the BBC and Zentropa.
Over the years, my commitment to music has grown beyond the artistic process. Having experienced the challenges faced by creators firsthand, I’ve taken on the role of advocate — representing the rights and interests of composers, songwriters, and cultural professionals on national, European, and global platforms. My firm belief is that creators, performers, and forward-thinking technologists must work together to build a sustainable, inclusive, and transparent music ecosystem. I have chosen to play an active part in shaping that future.
Biography
Alfons Karabuda is an award-winning composer and cultural policy expert with over 35 years of experience in the music and creative industries. His career is marked by a deep commitment to both artistic excellence and the advancement of creators’ rights worldwide.
In addition to his work as a composer for stage, screen, and broadcast, Karabuda has held a number of influential leadership roles. He currently serves as Honorary President of the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA), Chair of the Polar Music Prize award committee, and a board member of the Polar Music Prize Foundation. He is also an advisor to The Global Node Stockholm and The Global Music Vault, a board member of Freemuse, and the owner of Naomi Musikförlag AB and Naomi Filmproduction AB.
His past roles include President of ECSA (2007–2024), President of the Swedish Association of Composers, Songwriters, and Lyricists (SKAP), and Chair of the Swedish music industry umbrella organization Musiksverige (MusicSweden). He has served on the boards of the Swedish Performing Rights Society (STIM), the Swedish Joint Committee for Artistic and Literary Professionals (KLYS), the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Musikverket (Swedish Performing Arts Agency), Export Music Sweden, and the Swedish Arts Grants Committee.
Karabuda has also contributed to the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO’s cultural committee and was appointed by the Swedish Government as an expert in the 2021 report Restart for Culture – Recovery and Development After Corona.
Internationally, he has served as an expert on artistic freedom to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), notably contributing to the first-ever UNHRC report on artistic rights in 2013. From 2019 to 2023, he served as President of the International Music Council (IMC), the world’s largest network of organizations and institutions working in the field of music.
In recognition of his influential policy work, Alfons Karabuda was named Best Lobbyist in Sweden by the respected media and communications journal Resumé — a rare acknowledgment for a representative of the artistic community.
AboutAlfons
About Music has been a part of my professional life since an early age. My first commission, at 15, came from the Swedish Public Service Broadcasting Company (SVT), setting the course for a career in composition that has included work for institutions such as the Royal Dramatic Theatre (Dramaten), Stockholm City Theatre, Strindbergs Intima Teater, the BBC, and Zentropa. In addition to my creative work, I have spent much of my career focused on the rights and working conditions of artists. Having worked directly within the sector for decades, I have contributed to national, European, and international cultural policy development — particularly in matters related to authors´ rights, artistic freedom and freedom of speech. This site offers an overview of my work in composition, cultural policy, and international collaboration. It includes selected projects, music, partnerships with innovation-led organisations, and resources for media use, along with a broader view of my engagement in defending and promoting the rights of creators in a rapidly changing global environment.
Formal Bio
Biography Mr. Alfons Karabuda is an awarded composer with over 35 years of experience in the music and cultural sectors. His extensive career reflects a sustained commitment to advocating for artistic rights and advancing the creative industries globally. He currently serves as Honorary President of the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA), Chair of the Polar Music Prize award committee, board member and the Polar Music Prize Foundation and advisor to the innovation-focused organisations The Global Node, The Global Music Vault, Arts Dynamcs and New Internet Media. From 2007 to 2024, he served as President of ECSA. He has also chaired the Swedish Association of Composers, Songwriters and Lyricists (SKAP 2007-2023) and the national industry umbrella organisation Musiksverige (MusicSweden). In Sweden, he has held long-standing board positions within the Swedish Performing Rights Society (STIM), the Swedish Joint Committee for Artistic and Literary Professionals (KLYS), the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, the Swedish Performing Arts Agency (Musikverket), Export Music Sweden, and the Swedish Arts Grants Committee. In 2021, he was appointed by the Swedish Government as an expert for the national report Restart for Culture – Recovery and Development After Corona, and he has contributed to the cultural committee of the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO. On an international level, Mr. Karabuda has served as an expert on artistic rights to the United Nations Human Rights Council, contributing to its first-ever report on artistic freedom in 2013. From 2019 to 2023, he was President of the International Music Council, a UNESCO-founded organisation dedicated to promoting access to music and the protection of cultural rights worldwide.
