Joy Sears

Joy Sears, educator, flute repair specialist, and performer, enjoys the variety of opportunities music offers. She currently team teaches flute lessons with Dr. Chris Vaneman in the Petrie School of Music at Converse, maintains an established flute repair business and flute studio, and serves on the faculty of the Wildacres Flute Retreat where she teaches flute repair classes to all ages and abilities.

With a passion for education, Joy has presented workshops, performed, and helped to organize and facilitate flute events, including the South Carolina Flute Society, the National Flute Association Conference, and the Charlotte Flute Association. She was the past Vice President and board member of the South Carolina Flute Society and a board member of the Charlotte Flute Association.

Joy has also performed with the Greenville and Charlotte Symphonies and the Spartanburg Philharmonic. Formerly a member of the Western Piedmont Symphony, National Flute Choir, and faculty at the Sewanee Summer Music Center.

As a certified music educator, Joy has taught band, chorus, music appreciation, and gifted music to all grade levels in public and private schools and at the university level in the Carolinas. Joy was grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside her flute maker heroes at Straubinger Flutes and at JL Smith & Company servicing flutes.

She earned a dual degree, BM/BME, from the University of Akron and an MA from Western Carolina University, where she specialized in flute performance and repair studies with Dr. Eldred Spell.

Joy has an amazing husband and daughter, and an adorable dog. She enjoys being active with family and friends and playing chamber music whenever possible.