40 years of EPTA Switzerland
EPTA Switzerland is celebrating its anniversary with an international conference in Lucerne from 29.2. to 3.3.2024.
Wolfgang Clausnitzer, Member of the Board, talks to our President Tomas Dratva.
Tomas, the EPTA has been around in Switzerland for 40 years, what is the EPTA and what are its benefits?
The EPTA (European Piano Teachers' Association) was founded in the UK in the 1970s. National EPTA foundations soon followed in many European countries - in Switzerland in 1984. The most important concerns of the EPTA include professional exchange, networking and further training among pianists. This takes place primarily in the form of international and national conferences and meetings.
The international conference is coming up soon, how often does that happen?
The "46th International EPTA Conference 2024" in Lucerne is part of a long series of conferences that are held in a different country every year, most recently in Rome, Guimarães and Madrid. These conferences are the largest piano-related congresses in Europe.
What do you think of the international conference in Lucerne?
We offer a very varied program with 50 speakers from all over the world, who will give lectures, lecture recitals and workshops on both artistic and piano pedagogical topics.
Was it difficult to find so many speakers and to attract female speakers?
We consider ourselves fortunate to have found a strong and attractive cooperation partner in the Lucerne School of Music and its students and researchers. Our "Call for Proposals" last summer on the topic of "CHANGES - Visions & Evolutions in Piano Music" was answered by many pianists and researchers. This made it rather easy for us to offer our congress content.
We look forward to educational and eventful piano days and encourage the Swiss professional audience to visit us. Rarely does a top-class piano congress take place so close to our doorstep. Registrations for listeners are possible until February 15, 2024.
