Biography
Bo Na is a passionate music educator with over two decades of experience teaching middle school orchestra. Originally from Seoul, Korea, Bo began her musical training at the prestigious Sun Hwa Arts School at the age of twelve. Her passion for the cello took her abroad when she moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, to study under Andres Gron at the Royal Conservatory. She later moved to the United States, where she continued her studies with Dr. David Starkweather at the University of Georgia, earning both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Cello Performance. She was honored with the J. Kimball Harriman Award during her graduate studies.
Currently, in her tenth year as the Middle School Orchestra Director at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Bo has built a vibrant and caring program that encourages students to grow as musicians and as people. Before joining Westminster, she led successful orchestra programs at Creekland Middle School, North Gwinnett Middle School, and Hull Middle School, where her ensembles consistently achieved excellence.
Under her leadership, Bo’s orchestras have received state and national recognition. Creekland Middle School performed at the GMEA State Conference in 2009, followed by North Gwinnett in 2012. That same North Gwinnett orchestra was also selected to perform at the Midwest Clinic in 2013. At Westminster, the Junior Chamber Orchestra performed at the GMEA Conference in 2020, and the Middle School Orchestra earned 2nd place at the ASTA National Orchestra Festival in 2023. Most recently, her orchestra has been invited to return to the Midwest Clinic in 2024.
Bo has been recognized by her school for her commitment to teaching and the arts with the O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Endowed Chair for Performing Arts. In 2024, she was named Educator of the Year by the Georgia Chapter of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA).
A longtime advocate for music education across Georgia, Bo has served on the GMEA Orchestra Standing Committee, organized All-State events, and hosted final auditions. She also previously served as President of the Georgia Chapter of ASTA. In 2025, Bo was elected Orchestra State Chair for the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), with her term beginning in 2027. She looks forward to continuing to support educators and inspire students across the state.
Outside of teaching, Bo enjoys traveling, staying active, and spending time with her husband, Tony, and their two sons, Alex and Eric.