Biography
Flutist & Educator
Dr. Brynna Paros is a flutist, educator, and researcher based in Johnson City, Tennessee, where she serves as Assistant Professor of Flute at East Tennessee State University. She maintains an active performing career while teaching at ETSU and working with private students, offering lessons both in person and online.
As a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer, Brynna has appeared with the Johnson City Symphony, Symphony of the Mountains, Sinfonia da Camera, Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Recent highlights include a featured chamber performance at the 2026 National Flute Association Convention and as one of the featured flute soloists in Roger Zare's Breathless with the University of Illinois Hindsley Symphonic Band. She has also participated in the Aspen Music Festival and Domaine Forget International Music Academy.
Brynna holds bachelor's degrees in flute performance and psychology from the University of Oregon and earned both her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Flute Performance and Literature from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her work is shaped by an ongoing interest in the intersection of performance, psychology, and music learning. She is particularly interested in the questions of how musicians learn, how audiences experience live performance, and how those ideas can deepen both teaching and performance. Her doctoral research explored how musical familiarity and contextual framing influence audience engagement and enjoyment in classical concerts.
Teaching is a natural extension of those interests. Brynna enjoys helping students become thoughtful, independent musicians by encouraging careful listening, creative problem-solving, and genuine curiosity. She strives to create a supportive environment where students develop not only technical fluency, but also the confidence and artistic insight to communicate through music.
Her artistry has been shaped by the guidance of remarkable mentors, including Jonathan Keeble, Jacqueline Cordova-Arrington, Molly Barth, and Ninee Petchprapa Wolff. Outside the concert hall and classroom, Brynna finds inspiration in nature. She enjoys hiking, spending time with her pets, and soaking in the quiet beauty of her home in East Tennessee.