About Me

Joy Sears, teacher, flute repair specialist, and performer, enjoys the variety that music offers. She currently maintains an established flute repair business, flute studio and is an active board member of the SC Flute Society. She is privileged to be on the faculty of the Wildacres Flute Retreat, where she teaches flute repair classes to all ages and abilities.

Joy is highly skilled in traditional Boston style felt padding as well as Straubinger padding. She had the honor of working at Straubinger Flutes and JL Smith & Company repairing flutes. Her teachers and mentors: Dr. Eldred Spell, David, and Joel Straubinger, emphasized the importance of using the lightest touch, craftsmanship, and attention to detail for all levels of flutes.

Joy enjoyed the opportunity of teaching flute majors and minors at North Greenville University and Limestone University. She was formerly a member of the Western Piedmont Symphony, National Flute Choir, and on the faculty at the Sewanee Summer Music Center. She has also performed with the Greenville and Charlotte Symphonies and the Spartanburg Philharmonic.

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.

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