Dr. David Bethea is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Comparative Studies of the Fine and Performing Arts. Dr. Bethea received his Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of South Florida where he performed, as the only student member, with the USF Faculty Brass Quintet. While pursuing his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from the University of North Florida, he performed with the renowned UNF Jazz Ensemble I.
With his passion for jazz music and its creation in New Orleans, his doctoral research focused on the plight of the circumstances surrounding jazz musicians in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. For his dissertation, entitled More Branches on the Oldest Tree: Tradition and Experimentation through Improvisation in the Music of Post-Katrina New Orleans, he made numerous trips to the city, where he visited the areas in New Orleans that were affected by Hurricane Katrina. He was able to meet and establish connections with jazz musicians in New Orleans in order to conduct meaningful research into the expressive and responsive qualities of New Orleans’ music immediately following the disaster of Hurricane Katrina.
Dr. Bethea has performed in a wide array of styles and genres, everything from Medieval/Renaissance music on piccolo trumpet, to modern free-form jazz. Dr. Bethea has been a performer with various professional ensembles, including The Jazz Rats Big Band, The Latin Jazz Project, The Palm Beach Brass Quintet, and The Florida Wind Symphony. Dr. Bethea has won numerous performance awards, including the Florida Community College Solo Artist Competition: Brass Category. Currently, Dr. Bethea is a member of the jazz-fusion group the CookieTime Quartet, which performs regularly throughout the Middle Tennessee area.
Dr. Bethea currently serves as Department Lead/Associate Professor of Music at Motlow State Community College, where he teaches Introduction to Music, Applied Trumpet, and Music Theory, while also directing the Motlow College Choir and Motlow College Community Band.
Dr. Bethea lives in Tullahoma with his wife Dawn and two sons, Jake and Andy.
