ESTHER J. WAITE
Flutist & Educator
Esther Waite is a distinguished flutist and educator with over 15 years of success in higher education, known for her commitment to excellence in both teaching and performance. She is the principal flutist of the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra and also performs with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra and Spartanburg Philharmonic. Her solo work has taken her to international stages in Panama and Romania, as well as to New York City’s Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall.
Dr. Waite has taught at several summer music programs, including Musica Piccola (Winston-Salem, NC), the LSU Honors Chamber Winds Camp (Baton Rouge, LA), and the Inspiration and Praise Flute Masterclass (Greenville, SC). She is a member of the National Flute Association, a former president of the South Carolina Flute Society, and currently serves on the board of SC Bach.
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Esther Waite holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Flute Performance from Louisiana State University, where she served as doctoral teaching assistant for the flute studio. Her dissertation focused on the 1960 flute sonata by Soviet-era composer Edison Denisov, reflecting her deep interest in Russian repertoire. She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and a Master of Music degree in Flute Performance. Her principal teachers include Katherine Kemler, Tadeu Coelho, and Amanda Barrett.