About Us

“The Bethel Middle School Staff and Students welcome you to our band website. It is our mission to ensure that all students have an opportunity to excel individually and collectively in a standards-based music curriculum under the direction of our highly-qualified teachers. Our hope is that all students will be inspired from their work at Bethel Middle School and become life-long supporters of the arts in public schools across the state and country. Thank you for your support of the Bethel Bands.”

Our Band Directors

Gregory L. Gordey is a graduate of Greenwood High School and earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Arkansas Tech University. Mr. Gordey completed a Masters degree in Secondary Music Education from the University of Arkansas and has several additional hours at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. After 9 ½ years in active duty Military Bands, Mr. Gordey has been in reserve status with the 106th Army Band in Little Rock since 1994.

Mr. Gordey taught 8 years in Charleston, AR prior to moving to Bryant, and was the head of the band program in Bryant for 5 years prior to accepting the position at Bethel Middle School in 2005. Mr. Gordey serves as the 8th grade band director, assists the 7th grade and is the beginning band brass specialist. In addition to his work at Bethel Middle School, Gregory has served as the principal Euphonium for the Little Rock Wind Symphony for two years and is currently a Euphonium player in the Natural State Brass Band.

Sotonya L. Gordey is a graduate of Van Buren High school and earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Arkansas Tech University. She earned a Masters in Secondary Education with an emphasis in music from the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. Mrs. Gordey taught one year at Keota, OK, four years at Hackett, AR and six years at Charleston, AR and was the adjunct flute instructor at Westark Community College for four years. Sotonya has taught in the Bryant School District since 1999 and currently directs the 7th grade Band and Jazz Band at Bethel Middle School, assists with the 8th grade and is also the beginning woodwind specialist. Mrs. Gordey has performed with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and The Arkansas Repertory Theatre, and currently plays with the Hurricane Creek Flute Ensemble.

Mr. and Mrs. Gordey have six children: Staci Culver, Heather Peters, Kaede Wilson, Justin Gordey, Gabriel Gordey and Will Gordey. They also have two grand-daughters, Autumn and Gerilyn Rose.

Jon Doty, a graduate from the University of Kentucky, has participated in numerous ensembles such as Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, Concert Band, Steel Drum Band, Marching Band, Asian Gamelan, Brazilian Ensemble, and the basketball Pep Band. Jon has also been a member of the Percussion Ensemble, which won its third Percussive Arts Society Collegiate Percussion Ensemble award, and featured a showcase concert at PASIC. He has performed at Carnegie Hall with the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and with performer Arlo Guthrie. He was awarded the Marching Bands Spirit of Blue award and was an honor bandsman for his final two years at University.

Jon’s education experiences include being an instructor for the Yamaha Sounds of the Summer Drum Camp hosted by University of Kentucky for three years. Jon has taught for the Music for All Summer Symposium in Normal, Ill., as well as the Yamaha sounds of summer drum camp held at Harding University in Searcy Arkansas. Mr. Doty has studied with Jim Campbell, Brian Nozny, Andy Bliss, and Erin Walker-Bliss and has received masterclasses by numerous artists such as Nancy Zeltsman, Anders Astrand, Julie Hill, Anthony Cirone, Robin Engelman, Christopher Deane, John Parks, and Neil Grover. He currently teaches percussion for the Bryant school district in Bryant, Arkansas and serves as the Assistant Band Director at Bryant High School.

Stewart Wright is a graduate of Arkadelphia High School and earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. He taught for 2 years at Rogers Jr. High in El Dorado, Arkansas and has been teaching in Bryant since 1986 where he conducts the 9th grade band, assists at both Middle Schools and assists with the High School Marching and Concert Bands. He has served as a clinician and judge throughout the state of Arkansas.