English for Professional International Communication in the Arts
EPICA Courses
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EPICA: General English for International Artists
English for Arts Professionals: Setting Up (EG1)
English for Arts Professionals: Communication (EG2)
Varieties of English (EG3)
International English Fundamentals (EG4)
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General English for International Artists is a suite of programs designed for artists of all types who are developing their English skills as second language learners for international use. The English for Arts Professionals program starts from a musical mission statement, which explores the artists’ personal values and career aspirations, and guides them through CV/resume writing, personal statements for websites and biographies, correspondence, public speaking, as well as strategies for dealing with the press and media.
For a more general English language interest, the Varieties of English program explores some of the international and regional variations in English usage, with particular attention to the use of English within the arts, including singers, musicians, actors, artists, etc. International English Fundamentals explores different uses of English around the world, including practical advice on how to ‘decode’ native and non-native accents, avoiding common misunderstandings, and an introduction to how English does not have to follow a specific ‘native speaker’ model.
EPICA: English for Music
English for Professional Musicianship (EM1 / EM2)
English for Music Study (EM3)
English for Popular Music Analysis (EM4)
English for Popular Music Research (EM5)
English for Popular Music History (EM6)
English for Music Theory (EM7)
Songwriting in English (EM8)
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The flagship program of EPICA, English for Music focuses on the specific needs of musicians aspiring to an international profile or English language education in music. In addition, the songwriting program is designed to help songwriters explore how to develop an English language repertoire through a range of practical workshops.
English for Professional Musicianship explores how to speak to your audience and the press/media, as well as the vocabulary and language use on stage, in the recording studio, in auditions/interviews, and in music rehearsal across a range of styles (pop/rock, jazz and classical).
English for Music Study is a set of targeted EAP (English for Academic Purposes) courses, which introduces some of the key concepts which are central to music study at different levels, from high/secondary school to postgraduate level. English for Popular Music Analysis, English for Popular Music Research, English for Music Theory and English for Popular Music History present a range of university lectures, as delivered across Europe, America and Asia, re-purposed to focus on the vocabulary, language content and academic expectations at university level.
Songwriting in English is also based on university level courses, and introduces a range of techniques and approaches, especially selected to support English learners to express original ideas in their own musical styles. The - Superioreditions of these courses are highly recommended, where the course is delivered in real-time as an online workshop.
English for Actors, English for Visual Artists and English for Dancers, all currently under development. Planned launches, summer 2024-spring 2025.
EPICA: Native Speakers Abroad
Using English Abroad (for Arts Professionals) (ENS1)
Using English Abroad (General) (ENS2)
Teaching Arts Abroad (ENS3)
Managing the International Music Classroom (ENS4)
Not all international employers have the resources to adequately prepare native English speakers for the challenge of communicating in an international environment, and typically, the English speakers see communication difficulties as being the language learners’ problem. It is amazing how many times non-native English speakers can communicate very well with each other, but find it is the native speaker who is the most difficult to understand. Most native English speakers with international work experience will be reading this and grinning about those other hapless native speakers, without realising that they are just as guilty ("Yes, you! Ha ha..."). Don’t worry, these are not courses about losing regional accents or proposing elocution lessons; they are about understanding the changing nature of international communication and being well prepared.
Founder Bob Burke emphasizes the point: ‘this program has grown out of institutional language reviews where the hardest problem to solve was the difficulties native English speakers were creating through their use of their own language’.
The Using English Abroad courses offer a recalibration of what it means to be a ‘native speaker’ in an international environment and suggest a range of practical solutions to typical communication issues. Teaching Arts Abroad and Managing the International Music Classroom take these challenges into curriculum planning, learning and teaching strategies and classroom management, also exploring areas such as cultural differences in critical thinking and individual identity.