English for Professional International Communication in the Arts

EPICA (English for Professional International Communication in the Arts), was founded by Bob Burke, inaugural Director of English Language Studies at the Tianjin Juilliard School in China, songwriter and music professor.  The syllabus of arts-focused language programs has been designed by experienced and professionally-qualified language teaching specialists, in collaboration with arts professionals, arts education specialists and university lecturers, drawing on a wealth of international and intercultural experience in educational and professional contexts. 

 

Typically, international applicants to universities work towards English tests, but have often not experienced any of the discipline-specific vocabulary or specific linguistic functions that they will need in the lecture theatre, study groups, studio or performance environments they will encounter.  Equally, professional artists improve their general English for touring or international collaborations using language apps, websites or standard English lessons, but are unprepared for the language of the professional environment when they arrive.   EPICA courses are designed to bridge that gap by helping prepare artists for the wide range of professional and educational environments they may experience.

 

EPICA brings together a range of pedagogical approaches to English language learning, including English for Specific Purposes (ESP) relating to the artistic fields, English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in the educational courses, and a broad, open-minded approach to English as an International Language (EIL), which explores native-speaker models, such as UK and US English, without privileging either, and acknowledges the broad range of international contexts in which the modern artist may find themselves. 

 

EPICA programs are aimed at English language learners with intermediate to lower advanced English, although every course should contain something for everyone and even the most advanced English users should benefit from the programs.  The exception to these levels are EPICA Native Speaker Abroad and EPICA Kids.