Attention all songwriters - Bay of Plenty Polytechnic is hosting a free professional development workshop for teachers and musicians to help celebrate NZ Music Month.

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, May 21, with Pat Pattison - a professor at Berklee College of Music in the United States where he teaches lyric writing and poetry.

In addition to his four books, Pat has developed five online courses, three lyric writing courses - one on poetry, and one on creative writing. He presents his workshops in the US, Canada, Australasia and Europe.

Several well-known musicians credit Pattison with influencing their work, including three time Grammy winner Gillian Welch.

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"I count myself lucky and proud to have studied with Mr Pattison. I would not be the writer I am today without his teaching and his unique and comprehensive understanding of language, rhyme, rhythm, and structure."

Internationally renowned singer/songwriter John Mayer also studied with Pattison.
"I took a class with a great teacher named Pat Pattison... I learned a lot in that class...and I still read that book, Writing Better Lyrics. I think it's great."

The workshop aims to sharpen lyric writing skills and teach attendees how to craft more vivid lyrics by mastering the elements of structure and the process of building great lyrical ideas into great songs. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned writer, the day long workshop will be invaluable. For further information contact ella.dunlop@boppoly.ac.nz