EPTA UK One-Day Conference in Birmingham

Theme: “Diversity”

Following the amazing success of the EPTA London one-day conference at the Royal Academy of Music 2023 kick starting the new Academic Year, we plan to repeat this success moving to the Birmingham Conservatoire for a full day of events on September 1st 2024.

EPTA UK has a long history of successful one day conferences, and Birmingham 2024 is shaping up to be another exciting event with ‘Diversity’ as its theme. Presentations by the internationally renowned author, educator, and pianist Penelope Roskell who covers From elementary to intermediate: healthy techniques for a smooth transition; an ABRSM syllabus presentation by the remarkable Liz Hayes; Liz Horobin brings huge experience and knowledge to the subject of Student Centered Learning, and the charismatic Joanne Garcia focusses on overcoming the imposter syndrome.

Further sessions include John Thwaites and Piano-playing Styles of the Nineteenth Century; Beate Toyka Best of Practice and Andrew Eales Teaching Students How to Practice tackle the thorny issue of practicing at both ends of the scale, before the internationally acclaimed pianist Adam Heron treats us to a whistle-stop tour of The Music of Chevalier St George. Truly a memorable day to re-ignite passions ready for Academic year 2024/25!

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Box Office: https://epta-uk.org/product-category/events/

EPTA UK Member Standard Early Bird £40
EPTA UK Member Standard £50
Non-Member Standard Early Bird £50
Non- Member Standard £60
Student Early Bird £20
Student £25

Early Bird tickets are available until 1 August 2024 11:59pm.

Member discounts will be applied automatically for EPTA UK Full Professional, Joint Full Professional and Corporate members. Sign in to your members account to get your discount.

Tickets include the full day of events.

Public Car parking is available https://www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoire/about-us/parking-and-directions

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Timetable*:

9.30-10.00 Open doors & registration
10.00-10.30 [Event 1] Penelope Roskell ‘From Elementary to Intermediate: Healthy Technique’
10.35-11.05 [Event 2] Joanna Garcia on Artistry/Interpretation

11.05-11.25 [Tea/Coffee] Browse Stands

11.30-12.00 [Event 3] Liz Horobin on Student Centred Learning
12.05-1.00 [Event 4] ABRSM Syllabus Presentation with Liz Hayes

1.00 – 2.00 [Lunch] Browse Stands

2.00-2.30 [Event 5] John Thwaites on Piano-playing Styles of the Nineteenth Century
2.35-2.55 [Event 6] Beate Toyka ‘Best of Practice’
3.00-3.30 [Event 7] Andrew Eales on Practising techniques

3.30-3.50 [Tea/Coffee] Browse Stands

3.50-4.30 [Event 8] Performance by Adam Heron ‘Chevalier de St George’

*Programme and timings subject to change.

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Biographies of presenters and performers

Piano-playing Styles of the Nineteenth Century
A short, illustrated lecture-recital using RBC’s Historic Piano Collection.

Professor John Thwaites is Head of the Department of Keyboard Studies at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Course Director of Cadenza International Summer Music School, and a founder member of The Primrose Piano Quartet. In recent years he has spent an increasing amount of his time studying the playing styles and pianos of the piano’s Golden Age, trying to emulate playing that might have been recognised by the composers of some of our greatest repertoire.

 

Teaching Students How to Practise
Andrew Eales is based in Milton Keynes, where he runs a successful piano-teaching studio. He is a published composer (ABRSM, Musica Ferrum), author (How to Practise Music, Hal Leonard), and creator of several graded piano anthologies including The Joy of Graded Piano series (Yorktown Music Press).

Andrew has consulted for several leading educational organisations, music publishers, and examination boards. He has trained and worked alongside teachers across the UK, in North America, and Africa. His popular Pianodao.com education website includes hundreds of free articles and music reviews to support piano players and teachers worldwide.

 

Joanna García MusB(Hons) PPRNCM PgDipRNCM PGCE(QTS)
Joanna García gained a First Class Honours Bachelor of Music degree from Manchester University in 1996, also winning three Hargreaves Music Prizes and the Sir Thomas Beecham Medal for outstanding achievement throughout the course. She continued her studies at the RNCM with Paul Janes and Renna Kellaway, and David Francis for harpsichord, obtaining the sought-after Professional Performance Diploma and a Postgraduate Diploma in Performance.

Following a career as a a Staff Accompanist at Chetham’s School of Music and piano tutor at Manchester University, Joanna now has a busy teaching schedule as director of the Joanna García Piano School, and works with students internationally. She has a particular interest in teaching piano teachers, as well as adults who are striving to overcome performance anxieties, and is also a pedagogy coach, a music consultant in schools, and freelance staff pianist at the RNCM.