Executive Board

Shawn Bastian, NCTM

Shawn Bastian, NCTM began piano lessons at the age of five and started teaching in 1992. Through years of study and dedication, she became a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in 2013 and received the UMTA Legacy Award in 2022. She has been an active member of the UMTA Davis, Timpanogos, and Online Chapters, serving in numerous roles including Chapter President, State and Chapter AIM Chair, AIM Revision Committee member, and currently as UMTA First Vice President and Conference Chair. She credits state and national conferences, workshops, and the AIM program with much of her musical education, proudly calling herself a product of UMTA/MTNA. In addition to teaching piano students in her private studio, Shawn has assisted with the musical preparation for community productions of The Music Man, Within These Walls, and Savior of the World. She also draws on her degree in graphic design and animation to create custom teaching materials and worksheets for her students. Shawn is married to Nathan. They have five talented children, six grandchildren, and two dogs. Together they enjoy spending time outdoors, camping, and riding UTVs.

Cassandria A. Mayfield

Cassandria Barlow Mayfield’s performing has been described as poised, controlled and communicative. Cassandria received her Bachelor’s degree in 1998 and Master’s degree in 2003 both in Music with an emphasis in Piano Performance from the University of Utah under the direction of Dr. Bonnie Gritton. She has gone on performance tours and studied abroad in both Israel and Europe. Cassandria is the recipient of many top awards in local and national piano competitions. She has been a guest soloist with local and university orchestras and was the guest soloist with the Utah Symphony at Abravanel Hall in their 1999 Summer Concert Series. Cassandria was a faculty member of the University of Utah Preparatory Division, teaching private lessons as well as Kindermusik classes. She was employed as the Salt Lake Symphonic Choir accompanist and featured as a soloist in several performances. She currently accompanies the local middle school choirs, and enjoys being active in her community. Cassandria enjoys teaching and believes music is a necessary part of a child’s development. She is an active member of UMTA and MTNA. She has served in many UMTA positions including chair of the UMTA Piano Concerto Competition, and chair of the Sandy Progressive Artist Competition. She is currently serving as the 2nd Vice President on the state executive board over competitions. Her students have taken prizes in several performance and composition competitions, as well as earning music scholarships to the University of Utah, Utah State University, and Southern Utah University. Currently Cassandria has a piano studio in her home in Herriman, Utah. She enjoys reading, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is married and has six children.

LInda Budge

Linda Budge grew up in Salt Lake City and started piano lessons when she was 7. She also took violin lessons when she turned 8. Upon graduation from BYU with an engineering degree, she moved to Michigan to work for the automotive industry. Six years later, she resigned from that job and started teaching piano lessons. She went back to school to get her certificate in Piano Pedagogy from Schoolcraft College and also studied organ at Madonna University. She was very active in her local chapter of MTNA and served multiple board positions. Her students participated in festivals and competitions, where they earned high ratings. In 2023, Linda moved back to Utah. She is excited to immerse herself in UMTA and serve as 2nd VP over competitions.

Brooke Ballard

Brooke Ballard is an avid musician and loves to perform, teach, and learn about music. She has received several awards for her musicianship, including First Place in the UMTA Piano Concerto Competition, two-time winner of the BYU Concerto Competition, and First Place in the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association Young Artist Competition. She has accompanied ballet, musical theatre, and opera; served as the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra pianist; and presented at national, state, and local conferences. Brooke recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma with her MM in Piano Performance and Pedagogy, and she received her BM in Piano Performance from Brigham Young University. Brooke currently works as a music/choir teacher for grades K-12 and teaches private piano, and she is thrilled to serve as the UMTA Recording Secretary.

Rowena Bunce

Rowena Bunce has been teaching piano for over 10 years. She is a proud product of UMTA's AIM program. She always remembered the valuable, well-rounded curriculum that AIM gave her as a student, and she knew that she needed to give her students the same experience. She feels UMTA has made her a better teacher and made her students better musicians. Rowena has taught many students over the years, including all 4 of her own children. She is constantly looking for teaching tools and techniques to make music fun and engaging. She has created YouTube ear training videos, Kahoot quizzes, and Gimkit games for herself and other teachers to use. Rowena loves being involved in UMTA. She has served as the Bridgerland Chapter President and on the State Board. She truly values the camaraderie of her fellow chapter and state members and enjoys learning and sharing with them.

Lynda L. LeCheminant

Lynda LeCheminant has taught beginning to intermediate students in Sandy, UT since 1998, using MIDI sequencing and technology in her studio. She studied piano with Carole Jensen and Penny Jacobsen in Wisconsin and earned a BS degree from Brigham Young University. She also plays clarinet and has performed with the Murray Concert Band and the Salt Lake Symphonic Winds, in local productions of Handel’s Messiah, and has performed twice as part of the Concert Series at Temple Square. She accompanies and directs church choirs and congregations. She is currently serving as Treasurer of UMTA and has served as president and treasurer in the Sandy Chapter. She and husband Chris have 5 children and 3 grandkids, and she enjoys whitewater rafting, backpacking/hiking, reading, gardening, and sewing.

Dr. Carmen Hall, NCTM

Dr. Carmen Wolthuis Hall, a performer, speaker, teacher, and collaborative artist, holds degrees from The University of Utah and Brigham Young University. Dr. Hall is a faculty member at Utah Valley University. During the summers, she teaches at Mountain Springs Music Festival in Utah where she coaches chamber music groups. Carmen is the founder/director of Timpanogos Chamber Music Series, presenting chamber concerts with other professionals in Utah. Her award-winning students have become piano majors, receiving full music tuition scholarships at various universities.