FaceArt + ERMu Labs
Summer Music Festival 2025
July 21 – August 3, 2025
The ERMu Labs + FaceArt Summer Music Festival in Shanghai will be joined by renowned musicians from the U.S. and Europe:
During 14 Years, our students have won 500+ international awards
ERMu Labs: Where Innovation Fuels Creativity, Opening Doors to Elite Universities
Students build world-class interdisciplinary portfolios, blending music, art, technology, and science.
Whether you aim for engineering, finance, or the arts, our unique creative portfolios showcase your individuality and innovative thinking, giving you a decisive advantage in college admissions.
ERMu Labs Students Excel at Top Schools:
Admitted to: Stanford, Princeton, Juilliard, Columbia, Carnegie Mellon, and more.
Notable Alumni: Curtis Institute of Music scholars and Stanford early admits.
Scholarships Secured: Over $700,000+ (¥5 million+) awarded!
This Summer, Launch Your Journey to the World’s Most Prestigious Universities at Our Camp!
Program 1: Music Technology and Intermedia Art
Package Includes
- 2 individual lessons with Juilliard Professor Milica Paranosic
- 3 individual lessons with ERMu Labs Director Jacob Charles
- 2 individual visual arts lessons with Jacob Charles
- 3 lectures
- 3 workshops
- 1 masterclass
Lectures
ParaVerse: An Artist’s Multi-Dimensional Practice
An introduction to ParaVerse, an evolving multiverse of creative work spanning three intersecting modes: ParaStyling (performative fashion), Paracademia (experimental learning and collaborative city-making), and ParaStar / MockPop (a music project rooted in critical play and pop performance). The lecture explores cross-disciplinary collaboration, sustainability, and imaginative “city dreaming.”
Score Drafting Techniques for Improvised Music and Performance
Students explore contemporary score writing and interpretation, including non-Western practices, extended notation, graphic notation, video scores, and text-based systems. The session draws on both traditional and contemporary works to support the creation of scores for final performances.
Abstraction and Form: Video Art Techniques
This lecture examines the use of form in visual media, from classical artworks to contemporary photography and video. Students explore abstraction in both static and moving images and apply these concepts to develop material for final projects.
Workshops
Collaborative Dramaturgies and Singing the Collective Voice
Inspired by the contemporary opera Penelope and the Geese, this workshop explores female agency and collective voice. Students engage in collaborative creation, from composition to dramaturgy, and participate in a “Penelope Karaoke” session featuring songs from the opera.
Hands-On: Motion Tracking and Controllers
Students experiment with a range of controllers, including AI motion tracking systems, video game controllers, touch sensors, and scientific devices. The workshop focuses on integrating these tools into contemporary artistic practice.
ARTPOP: Collaborative Songwriting
Students from composition and performance tracks collaborate on a group work for the final concert, guided by FaceArt faculty.
Masterclass
Group Masterclass with Milica Paranosic
Selected students present their work in a group setting and receive feedback from Milica Paranosic. The session encourages peer learning and supports final project development.
Program 2: Classical Piano Intensive
Learn piano like Chopin did!
Chopin mastered harmony and keyboard technique, honed his skills playing the organ in a church, and was a virtuoso of improvisation. A natural storyteller through music, he considered opera and singing the highest forms of artistic expression. His lifelong love for a singer became a profound source of inspiration, shaping both his music and his destiny.
Core Advantages of the Summer Camp
- Elite Faculty Lineup: Taught by renowned specialists in Chopin, Beethoven, and contemporary music.
- Scientific Curriculum Structure: One-on-one lessons + group classes + lectures + hands-on practice for multidimensional growth.
- Practical Skill Cultivation: Strengthen comprehensive abilities in sight-reading, harmony, improvisation, and more.
- College Admissions Edge: Completion certificate + performance videos to boost music study-abroad applications.
Package Includes
- 4 One-on-One Lessons (3 piano lessons + 1 singing lesson) Peter Tomasz (Chopin/Bach Specialist): Ornamentation techniques, secrets of polyphonic interpretation. James Brawn (Beethoven Authority): Classical structure analysis, dynamic control mastery. Jenny Q Chai (Contemporary Music/College Counseling): Interpretation of contemporary works, college application strategy. Juliet Petrus (Singing lesson): Breath control and legato phrasing.
- 9 Group Classes (9:00 AM–12:30 PM) Keyboard Skills: Sight-reading, transposition, figured bass. Harmony: Bach/Beethoven chord analysis. Improvisation: Baroque ornamentation & cadenzas. Singing workshop with Juliet Petrus: Learn how to breathe and use singing to improve legato.
- 3 Band workshops: Let it go in the awesome rock band.
- Evening Lectures: Chopin, Beethoven, study abroad and more.
- Practice Facilities: Acoustic & digital pianos available, open between classes.
- August 3 – Final Concert
Program Overview
From July 21 to August 3, 2025, the FaceArt Piano Festival offers a 14-day immersive classical piano intensive like no other. Study with world-class teachers – Peter Tomasz (Chopin/Bach), James Brawn (Beethoven), and Jenny Q Chai (Contemporary/Study Abroad) – while diving into workshops that bring music to life: analyze harmony and counterpoint, unleash creativity through improvisation, and join Juliet Petrus’s singing workshop to master breath control and legato phrasing.
Faculty
Program 3: ERMu Band Class
In this dynamic group band class, students will meet six times to explore new instruments such as electric guitar, drums, bass, and electric keyboard. Under the guidance of their instructor, they will not only learn to perform popular songs but also collaborate with their bandmates to write and perform an original piece.
This class is an excellent opportunity for classical musicians to strengthen their sense of rhythm and harmony while gaining experience in ensemble playing. It’s also a fun and creative way to expand musical skills, develop stage confidence, and enjoy the collaborative energy of making music together.
Package Includes
- 6 sessions of 1.5-hour band classes
- Expand your performance abilities by learning a new instrument and/or using your instrument in a new way.
- Complement your classical studies with a new perspective on harmony and rhythm.
- Build your confidence on stage and in a collaborative music environment.
- Learn to read and write your own music charts.
- Connect with music and friends in a way that encourages fun and teamwork.
- 1 hour dress rehearsal
- 1 interactive media concert