The Director

Dr. Charles Patterson 

Award-Winning Conductor Dr. Charles Patterson is an accomplished conductor, music educator, and scholar whose work bridges artistic excellence and research-informed practice. He has served as Music Director of the Effingham Community Orchestra since 2016 and has appeared as a guest conductor with the Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra and Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra. A prizewinner of the Adrian Gnam International Conductor’s Workshop and Competition in Atlanta, Dr. Patterson is recognized for his expressive conducting style, collaborative leadership, and commitment to community engagement through orchestral performance. He is also the Director of Orchestra and Guitar at Pelion High School in Pelion, SC.

In addition to his conducting career, Dr. Patterson maintains an active academic profile. He holds a PhD in Music Education from the University of South Florida, where his research focused on creativity, orchestral curriculum design, and the evolution of doctoral education in music education. His scholarly work has been published or is forthcoming in leading journals including Music Educators Journal, Journal of Music Teacher Education, and American String Teacher, and he has contributed chapters to The Routledge Companion to Creativities in Music Education. 

Credentials:

Ph.D. Music Education: University of South Florida, 2024

M.M. Music Education: Georgia Southern University, 2020

B.M. Music Education: Georgia Southern University, 2017

Teaching Certification: South Carolina, Georgia P-12 Music

Awards:

​Winner, International Conductor's Workshop and Competition, June 2022, Atlanta, GA

Winner, International Conductor's Workshop and Competition, January 2019, Atlanta, GA

1st Prize, International Conductor's Workshop and Competition, July 2017, Atlanta, GA

For more information about Dr. Patterson, visit www.charlespattersonmusic.com