Archived Legacy Awards

2025

ZINA RICHES, NCTM
From her earliest years, music has been at the heart of Zina Riches’ life. She began by making up songs with her father and accompanying her brothers, and by age fourteen she was already recognized for her talent—asked on short notice to accompany Sister Jesse Evans Smith in a church service, a performance she remembers as both inspiring and formative.
A dedicated piano teacher for decades, Zina joined the Utah Music Teachers Association (UMTA) to expand her skills and enrich her students’ learning. She pursued further musical study with Paul Pollei, NCTM, attended state and national conferences, and became deeply involved in UMTA’s Achievement in Music (AIM) program beginning in 1992. Over the years, she served in numerous leadership roles, including State AIM Chairman (1996–1998) and AIM Region Chair for Northern Utah, developing curriculum and examinations in theory, ear training, and sight reading that benefited thousands of students. She was honored as a Veteran AIM Teacher in 2003.
Zina’s love of music extends far beyond the studio. She has directed and accompanied choirs for church, and community productions, including Promised Valley, The Order Is Love, Within These Walls, The Music Man, and Savior of the World. She served as Stake Organist for 18 years and has been serving as the Ward Organist for over 60 years.  She played a key role in major events such as the Relief Society chorus for General Conference and the Joseph Smith Centennial Celebration at the University of Utah stadium. Above all, Zina treasures the moment when a student’s eyes light up with understanding and joy. Her lifelong philosophy is simple and powerful: “Music is wonderful.”

2024

BONNIE JACK has been teaching piano lessons since 1995. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 2000, and a Master of Music in Piano Performance in 2006, both from Brigham Young University. Her teachers include Gerald Dahling, Carolee Eriksson, Robin Hancock, and Scott Holden. She has served as President of the Sandy Chapter of UMTA and is currently serving as State AIM Chair for the UMTA. Bonnie was also a key player in the revision of the new AIM program established in the summer of 2024. She has two children, and her hobbies outside of piano include photography, reading, doing projects, lifting weights, walking her dog, and hiking.

 

DR. CHRISTIE SOWBY, NCTM attended Brigham Young University, Harvard University, the New England Conservatory, and the University of Utah. Passionate about learning, Christie participates in the Encore Music Teachers Association (president), UMTA (including past president of two chapters), MTNA, ISME, NCKP, and studied with Olympic trainer, and high-performance expert, Dr. Craig Manning. She enjoys lecturing and performing regularly for local, university, state, national, and international music conferences and webinars. She has been featured online for the Frances Clark Center “Inspiring Artistry” series. Christie has served in various organizations, among which include Encore Piano Teachers Association President, Past-President (current) Website Chair (current), Technique Assistant, Keyboard Competition Chair, and Handbook Chair; UMTA’s Online Chapter President (current), Communication Chair, BYU Collegiate President, University of Utah Collegiate President, Collegiate Vice President, and the Website Committee Chair; BYU’s School of Music student committee chair; and MTNA’s National Conference Committee and Marie Sue Harris Studio Teacher Fellowship Committee. She was named President of UMTA’s first online chapter in January 2024. As an active performer and accompanist, Christie performs regularly and has collaborated with orchestras and every major symphonic instrument. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2018. Christie is the pianist for the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra and currently takes lessons in voice and organ with private instructors. An award-winning teacher, Christie received the UMTA Student Teacher of the Year, the Phi Kappa Phi National Love of Learning award (3x), several MTNA Teacher Enrichment Grants, Utah’s “Best of State” (twice), Federation’s National Vivian Nelson Award, Federation’s National Ouida Keck Award, and the prestigious MTNA National Studio Teacher Fellowship. In 2023, she was honored with the Teacher of Distinction Award from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada. Christie is a jury member of the World Piano Teachers Association and ENKOR International Music Competition and is an eFestival Evaluator for MTNA. She is a frequent judge for competitions and festivals, particularly Distinguished Young Women and Utah’s Sterling Scholar program.

2023

ROSEMARY NELSON OLSEN, NCTM was born in Portland, Oregon and attended BYU, receiving an associate degree in Piano Technology, and qualifying as a craftsman with the Piano Technician’s Guild. Following a mission to Colombia, she completed her bachelor’s degree in Piano Pedagogy, studying with Reid Nibley and Robert Smith. She and her husband, Richard, eventually made their way to Boston, where they raised their four children.
While serving on the board of the New England Piano Teachers Association, Rosemary completed a Masters of Piano Pedagogy degree through Lesley University in Cambridge, doing her course work at the New England Conservatory and Westminster Choir College in Princeton. Private studies were with Jean Alderman, Wellesley College, and Madeline Bruser (The Art of Practicing) in Manhattan. Rosemary is a member of Phi Delta Kappa and has been published in Clavier magazine.

Rosemary’s second love is choral music and conducting. After being selected for membership in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Rosemary left her wonderful piano students and beloved Boston Red Sox in a flood of tears and moved to Utah, where she immediately felt at home with the welcoming teachers here. She has felt honored to serve alongside them, first as president of the Salt Lake Chapter, and then as Vice President over Conferences and as State President. Her years of teaching and serving in UMTA have been the pinnacle of her career.

 

PAULA MANWARING, NCTM is a music educator, published composer, arranger, creator of A Note in Time: Review in Note Recognition, and Musical Discoveries: Multitrack Sequencing. She has worked as an outside editor and clinician for Kjos Music Publishers, and is the author of Minimusic, a group theory program for young beginners which is taught in studios around the world.
Paula began her piano studies at an early age and continued through her college years. She attended Brigham Young University where she had the opportunity to study under Dr. Robert Smith and has enjoyed teaching piano for the past 40 years.

Paula has enjoyed serving as the Salt Lake Chapter president, UMTA Certification Chair, UMTA State President 2020-22, and MTNA Chair for the State Presidents Advisory Council. She currently serves on UMTA’s State Board as Immediate Past President, and as UMTA Student Programs Chair. She enjoys exploring new technology and engaging her students as they enhance their musical learning experience. Her greatest technological challenge and joy has been in the re-creation of UMTA’s state website. Paula and her husband are grateful to have raised five beautiful children and are the proud grandparents of eleven, and she is pleased to say that all but the two youngest are learning to play the piano!

2022

SHAWN BASTIAN, NCTM, grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. She began piano lessons at age 5 and became a Nationally Certified Music Teacher through MTNA in 2013. She has been a member of UMTA for over 25 years, has taught piano for over 30 years and continues to teach today. She is an active member of the Timpanogos chapter, and has served as president, and the State and Chapter AIM Chair.

“My mom, Zina Riches, brought me to my first UMTA conference in 1992 and pointed me down this musical path, a path that I am truly thankful for. I have been blessed to teach so many truly talented students and work with great teachers and friends. You have all impacted every aspect of my musical career and my life. THANK YOU!!” Shawn Bastian

 

BONNIE SLAUGHTER, NCTM, has been a piano teacher for over 40 years. She is active in the Utah Music Teachers Association where she has served as President of the Bridgerland and Ogden Chapters and on the Utah MTA State Board and Region FAIM (Future Artists in Music) Coordinator. She was the Northern Utah Coordinator for the renowned international pedagogue N. Jane Tan.

Bonnie is the director of the Oakwood Performing Arts Academy. She has over 100 students including “The Oakwood 88’s” 5 Piano Teams. Members of the teams have enjoyed performing at area events including opening for Jon Schmidt. The teams have also competed at state and international levels.

She has published 5 music camps, a series of Theory Workbooks called “Theory Strips” and a set of CDs about Surviving the Music Lesson Rollercoaster. She enjoys sharing them with music teachers across the country. She has given workshops and presentations to teachers across Utah, California, Colorado and New Mexico. She is married and has five children and 21 grandchildren.

2021

JUDITH (JUDY) JOHNSON, a member of the Provo/Orem chapter, has a long history with music and UMTA. Judy grew up in Wyoming, next door to her grandmother, who was the town piano teacher. When Judy was 12, her father was choir director and Judy accompanied. She learned early on to transpose pieces to a lower key so the choir could sing them.

Judy attended BYU, where she studied piano with Robert Cundick and theory with Crawford Gates. Judy also performed for the Program Bureau under Janie Thompson at BYU. Judy graduated in 1962 with an Elementary Education major and a Music minor.

Judy has been a member of UMTA/MTNA for over 50 years. Some of Judy’s earliest memories of UMTA include riding from Provo to Salt Lake to attend meetings with William Foxley (6th UMTA President: 1970-1974).

Judy has served as Secretary of the Provo/Orem chapter of UMTA. She also served as the Federation chair for 35 years. She has also played for many church and community functions over the years. Judy’s teaching career began when a neighbor asked her to teach a little boy that several piano teachers had given up on. Judy’s success with this student quickly led to many students. To better help her students, she completed extensive Robert Pace program training. She has also loved attending the UMTA conferences and chapter meetings. Judy said, “Music has opened so many doors for me my whole life. Music has been such a huge part of my life.”

 

JUNE CHRISTENSEN always knew she wanted to be a piano teacher—and she learned from the best, studying with Martha Greene, Florence Brinton and Gladys Gladstone. In high school, she accepted the challenge to learn the Grieg Concerto within a month and perform it as a substitute soloist with the Granite Youth Symphony. She placed twice in the Utah State Fair Competition.

Beginning as congregational pianist at age nine, June has shared music in her community playing for countless church meetings, funerals, and weddings. She has accompanied outstanding vocalists and instrumentalists, and directed and accompanied choirs.

June graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Music Composite Secondary Education. She began teaching at age 14—which led to 60+ years experience, 700 private students, 300 studio recitals, and exhibits at 50 state and national conventions. She credits much of her pedagogy to UMTA workshops, meetings, and conferences where she soaked in wisdom from master teachers and composers.

Dr. Paul Pollei’s amazing pedagogy class inspired June to create and market 100+ teaching aids that promote better reading, rhythm, and theory skills, plus insights about composers, history, the piano, and practicing.

June has presented in UMTA meetings statewide and served as Magazine Coordinator, Music.ed You Chair, Chapter Secretary, Salt Lake Chapter President, and UMTA State Publicity Board. June has five brilliant children who played the piano under her tutelage. They return the favor with technology assistance and strong opinions. June and her husband pay forward their love of the arts by funding scholarships for deserving students.

2020

JANE H. CALDER grew up in the beautiful little town of Springville, Utah. At the age of seven she started taking piano lessons from her aunt, Helen Hales Hawkins. At twelve she began studying with Professor J. J. Keeler at Brigham Young University and remained with him throughout college. He was a wonderful teacher who influenced Jane’s life in many positive ways. During those busy high school and college years she played in two string trios, two dance bands, accompanied many fine soloists and played the organ at church.

After high school Jane attended BYU, graduating with a degree in English and a minor in music. Following graduation she married Richard Calder and embarked on a busy career combining marriage, motherhood and piano teaching. Jane started giving piano lessons as a teenager and has now taught for sixty-eight years.

Through the years Jane created games and teaching aids for her own students to increase their knowledge of famous composers, counting, key signatures, musical terms and other aspects of theory. In 1993 she published her first book, “Scales & Stuff,” and launched her business, Making Music Fun. Having her own booth at national music teacher conventions all over the United States has been one of the most fun, exciting and exhausting things she’s ever done.

Jane lives now with two cats and a dog, lovingly supported by her wonderful family of four children, thirteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. “Music has given me the most wonderful life imaginable!”

 

DR. DAVID GLEN HATCH, NCTM, master teacher of piano, is a four-time Grammy nominee, international concert and recording artist and enjoys a distinguished performance and teaching career on six continents. Dr. Hatch is listed as one of the Best Teachers in America in volumes of Who’s Who Among American Music Teachers and International Who’s Who in Music and was awarded the Master Teacher certificate by MTNA. His students have been winners in state, regional, national, and international competitions.

In addition to his independent teaching studio, Dr. Hatch has given lecture presentations, master classes, and solo recitals at the World Piano Conference sponsored by the European Music Teachers Association (London & Serbia), Music Hall of Composers (Moscow), National Conservatory of Bulgaria (Sofia International Music Festival), and Conservatories of Hobart, Tasmania; Shanghai, China; Bordeaux, France; Donetsk, Ukraine; and Santiago, Chile.

His students have participated and won prizes in local, state, national, and international piano and piano teams competitions; have performed local, regional, national, and international solo recitals; have been concerto soloists with chamber and symphony orchestras; have performed in master classes of world-renowned teachers, and have performed internationally with Dr. Hatch on his summer concert tours. Many have pursued concert careers at music schools and conservatories including The Manhattan School of Music, The Julliard School, Indiana Jacobs School of Music, University of Michigan, the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio, the University of California at Fullerton, Brigham Young University, University of Utah and Utah State University, including some who have acquired university and college teaching positions nationwide. “His teaching is incredibly personal and engaging. He does this through his sincere caring about his students and their personal and musical well-being…”–former student

2019

MARY LOUISE BECKSTRAND began her piano studies at the age of 6 in Kanosh, Utah. She continued her studies through college at USU, where she studied with Dr. Irving Wasserman and Betty Beecher, then the University of Utah, where she studied with Lenora Ford Brown.

Following college, Mary Louise and her husband, Linford settled in Bountiful, Utah with their seven children, where she opened her teaching studio. She joined UMTA and MTNA in 1981, and became active in chapter leadership – serving as Davis Chapter President from 1984-1985. She was UMTA State Vice President under Debra Gamero, and became UMTA State President from 1998-2000. Mary Louise served as UMTA State Competition Chair, and then MTNA Southwest Division Competition Chair, and organized the only competition to take place in Honolulu, Hawaii.

As UMTA President, Mary Louise suggested lowering the cost of state conference attendance to $25.00, which resulted in record numbers of UMTA members who attended the state conference during her term of office. She was also instrumental in creating a website for UMTA, which was the birth of www.utahmta.org. Mrs. Beckstrand also initiated the teacher recognition program which recognized teachers at the state conference banquet who had been members of UMTA/MTNA for 10,20,30, and 40 years.

Mrs. Beckstrand retired from teaching in 2010 and served 3 missions with her husband for their church. They served in The Netherlands, as directors of the Mesa Temple Visitors’ Center, and in Johannesburg, South Africa. After returning from South Africa, Mrs. Beckstrand resumed teaching her grandsons, the oldest of which will be finishing Level 10 of AIM in the spring of 2020.

 

When she joined MTNA in 1981, ELAINE LEGGAT had already been teaching piano lessons for over twenty years. Throughout her 55-year career, she believed in the power of music to enrich the lives of her students, and helped each one develop a genuine love for all kinds of music, from classical to religious to popular. She felt that each student, regardless of their future professional pursuits, should have basic skills that could be used in their homes and communities – playing by ear, leading music, composing, sightreading, accompanying. LDS students learned to play 20 hymns before leaving on a mission.

Her years were organized around major music events: Student Achievement and AIM preparation began in the fall, Halloween and Christmas concerts happened during the holidays, mega piano duet rehearsals led to the annual ‘monster’ concert each Spring. Summertime, organized around a unique theme each year, included specific learning goals, a plethora of prizes from giant candy bars to movie tickets, and culminated with a “Concert under the Stars” in her backyard, with blankets, chairs, doughnuts and juice her husband, Robert, always arranged. Each student felt Elaine’s individual love for them, and when necessary, Elaine quietly and happily taught students free of charge. A committed and enthusiastic member of the Sandy Chapter of UMTA, Elaine served in almost every position available there, including President, and also served on the UMTA state board. Elaine taught out of her home studio until her husband’s aggressive cancer diagnosis, and her own cognitive decline, led her to retirement in 2016.

2018

CINDY HARTLEY, NCTM, is the Utah MTA State Treasurer, having served since 2001. She is also the UFMC State Treasurer, having serve since 2011. She has also served in the Ogden Chapter as Vice President over programs.
For 8 years she worked as the Lowrey Organ Company Program Director at the Piano Gallery in Riverdale, Utah. She worked weekly with approximately 150 senior citizens in the beginning music classes at the Piano Gallery. She has served as the “Yamaha, Say Yes to Music” program coordinator for Weber county. She has been active in the PTA, having served as the Farr West Elementary PTA President. She has also served as a Farr West Community Council Member.

She continues to be active in her community and church service. She served for 18 months as a proselyting/welfare service missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Guayaquil, Ecuador. While serving there, she and her companion were asked to write a basic music program to teach music/piano lesson. Years later, that program was expanded by the church and is now taught worldwide in many languages.

She began piano lessons at age 7 and continued on through her college years. She became a Nationally Certified Music Teacher through MTNA in November 2015. Cindy has taught piano for over 35 years and continues to teach today. She and her husband, Dan, have been married for 33 years and live in Farr West, Utah. They are the proud parents of 5 children. They are Nana and Papa to 4 adorable grandchildren.

“Many years ago, I was encouraged by a friend to join UMTA. It has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. It has impacted every aspect of my music career, enhancing my teaching and therefore benefitting my students. Perhaps my greatest sense of accomplishment comes from the many students who have gone on to become teachers, directly impacting the minds and lives of others.” – Cindy Hartley