Dr. Bethany Padgett is an active teacher and freelancer in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area. She has been Professor of Flute at Navarro College since fall, 2017. In addition, she served as interim Lecturer of Flute at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville in spring 2020, and as Visiting Professor of Flute at Illinois State University in fall 2014. She has been an adjudicator for numerous competitions including for the Texas Community College Band Directors Association, Floot Fire Solo Competition, and the Texas Music Teachers Association Performance Competition. Dr. Padgett has served on the board of several organizations including Music Teachers National Association, Louisiana Flute Society, and currently, Texas Flute Society.
As a freelancer, she has performed with the Fort Worth Symphony, Shreveport Symphony, Texarkana Symphony, South Arkansas Symphony, Las Colinas Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, and Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestras. She has also performed as a member of the Dauphine Street Duo at the Mid-Atlantic Flute Convention, the National Flute Association Convention and the Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia Flute Fair. As a solo artist, Dr. Padgett has won numerous competitions including the NFA Masterclass Performer Competition, NFA Piccolo Masterclass Competition, and NFA Convention Performers Competition, and was a finalist for the San Diego Guild Young Artist competition.
She received her Doctor of Musical Arts in Flute Performance with a Theory minor from Louisiana State University in 2013, her Master of Music from Illinois State University and her Bachelor of Music from Western Michigan University. Her primary teachers include Katherine Kemler, Kimberly Risinger and Christine Smith.