betsy ko

Inaugural Focus Award Recipient 2023 Commencement Speaker

Chiarts Founding Faculty Member

Betsy Ko is a founding faculty member of ChiArts. Ms. Ko previously served as Music Department Head from 2009 to 2021. She now serves as the ChiArts Band Director and has overseen tremendous growth in that program. In both 2018 and 2023, the ChiArts Wind Ensemble under Ms. Ko’s direction was honored to be recognized as “Best in Day” at the Illinois High School Association’s Organizational Contest. She also conducts the ChiArts Symphony Orchestra, now in its second season. Ms. Ko is a long time flute faculty member at Merit School of Music where she teaches individuals and groups of all levels. She has coached the Purple Hippopotami Flute Quartet for many years and saw that group earn 3rd place in the prestigious M-Prize Chamber Music competition (2018) and a bronze medal at the Fischoff Chamber Music competition (2020). A native of New York, Ms. Ko has been an active performer in the Chicago area since arriving here in 1991. She currently performs with the Northshore Concert Band. Ms. Ko received her Master in Music in Flute Performance from DePaul University where she studied with Mary Stolper. Her undergraduate degree was in Pure Mathematics from Brown University. She additionally holds Illinois Type 10 certification in music.