Betty Turner

Piano

Betty Turner is an accomplished music educator, pianist, organist, and choral director with decades of experience teaching students of all ages. Following a distinguished career in both music and education, she recently retired after fourteen years as a seventh-grade language arts teacher at Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy.

Prior to her work at Thomas Jefferson, Betty served for more than twenty-five years as a full-time music instructor at Isothermal Community College, where she directed The College Singers and the IsoTones show choir. During her tenure, she taught class and private piano, class and private voice, music appreciation, music history, opera workshop, chorus, and show choir. She also taught freshman composition, business English, and vocational English during summer sessions.

Throughout her career, Betty has faithfully served numerous churches in western North Carolina as an organist, pianist, and choir director. She currently serves as organist at First Presbyterian Church in Forest City and has previously held music leadership positions at Tryon First Baptist Church, St. Francis Episcopal Church, First United Methodist Church of Rutherfordton, Rutherfordton Presbyterian Church, and Smith Grove Baptist Church.

Betty holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Music from Columbia College, a Master of Arts in Teaching in English from Duke University, and a Master of Music Education from Winthrop University. She has also completed additional graduate studies in music at Converse College.

At Wild Roots Fine Arts Academy, Betty enjoys sharing her lifelong love of music with students of all ages. She believes that music education nurtures creativity, discipline, and confidence while providing a source of enjoyment that can enrich a lifetime.