Great attendance was at the 3rd. EPTA Inland Conference which was held in Berg concert hall Hljomaholl in cooperation with Reykjanes School of Music January 14th. Around forty piano teachers attended the conference which offered several lectures by Icelandic professionals as well as keynote speaker, Professor Julia Mustonen-Dahlkvist who spoke on the subject of preparing students for competitions. The highlight of the conference was the solo recital of Hong Kong-born pianist Aristo Sham who performed a selection of works by Scarlatti, Scriabin, Liszt, Brahms and Barber. It was an honor for EPTA to present such a rising star in the music world to Icelanders and it will be exciting to follow his career.
The review of Principal Haraldsson of Reykjanesbaer Music School about the conference and Mr. Sham´s recital illuminates what a great success the EPTA conference was: “I was well aware of how pleased the conference´s participants were with the lectures and the high standard of the facilities offered by EPTA. I´m happy to have been a part of this event on behalf of my school. The piano recital of Mr. Aristo Sham was absolutely fantastic! It is great and inspiring to observe and listen to such a young virtuoso. An amazingly mature performance with a sensitive and communicative shaping of tone, nuances and atmosphere affected me deeply as it did others in the audience. The board members of EPTA can be extremely proud of this conference.” Another review by Principal Indridadottir of Sigursveins Music School about the conference is also very commending: “The lectures were truly at a very high standard and clearly articulated – the piano recital by Mr. Sham was of course unbelievably great, – I have rarely heard such piano playing!”