The contemporary musicianship & entrepreneur development program welcomes Pat Pattison, one of the world’s foremost experts on songwriting, for a special visit at 9 a.m. on Oct. 23, in Ruebush Hall, Room 207.

Pattison is a highly respected professor at Berklee College of Music, specializing in lyric writing and poetry. His expertise has shaped the careers of numerous successful artists, including Grammy-winners and major recording artists like Gillian Welch, John Mayer, Tom Hambridge and Justin Tranter, among others.

“Pat Pattison is an acclaimed author, educator, and a true luminary in the field, and we are incredibly fortunate to welcome him to Shenandoah Conservatory,” said Interim Director of Contemporary Musicianship & Entrepreneur Development (CMED) and Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Jesse Terry, B.M. “This is a rare opportunity to learn from a master educator whose influence spans the globe.”

Pattison is the author of four foundational books for songwriters, including “Songwriting Without Boundaries,” “Writing Better Lyrics” (2nd Edition), “The Essential Guide to Lyric Form and Structure” and “The Essential Guide to Rhyming.”

Beyond his publications, Pattison’s educational reach is global. He has developed five online courses for Berklee Online and his Coursera MOOC “Songwriting: Writing the Lyric” has enrolled over 1,500,000 students since 2013. He also contributes regularly to publications like American Songwriter and presents songwriting clinics across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.

Shenandoah Conservatory students, faculty and staff are invited to attend this session with Pattison. A limited number of extra visitors can be accommodated for this event; contact Terry via email at jesse.terry@su.edu to RSVP. Priority seating will be reserved for students enrolled in their respective classes.

Pattison’s visit is coordinated by Terry.