Bethany Summersgill

Bethany Summersgill (previously Gonella) is a flutist, piccoloist, and flute teacher in the Twin Cities. In addition to playing as a substitute musician with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, she performs frequently as an extra/substitute musician with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Minnesota Opera Orchestra, and the Minnesota Sinfonia; as the associate principal flutist in the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra; and as a freelance chamber and orchestral musician in a variety of settings. She has also held positions with the La Crosse Symphony, the Winona Symphony, the Chione Quintet, and the Sonora Winds. Bethany enjoys playing the baroque traverso flute as well as the modern flute. She holds degrees in flute performance from Northwestern University (BM) and the University of Southern California (MM) and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota (DMA).

Bethany teaches both privately and at the University of St. Thomas, and she enjoys working with students of all ages and levels. She loves helping her students to develop not only their musical skills, but also a positive "growth" mindset that emphasizes creative problem solving, strategic thinking, persistence, and attention to detail during the learning process. She is currently writing a book of duets and exercises for students to bridge the gap between early-intermediate- and advanced-level playing with a focus on thoroughly visiting all of the major/minor key signatures and a variety of meters and rhythms that are often neglected in works for students of this level.

In her spare time, Bethany loves to garden (especially fruits and vegetables), spend time outside (walking, biking, hiking, running, kayaking), or curl up with a book (if it’s too cold for the previous activities).