MTNA Awards

2025-26 MTNA Foundation Fellow
Cahill Smith

As a soloist and chamber musician, pianist Cahill has performed in major venues in the United States and abroad, including fourteen cities in Asia in addition to concerts in London, Dublin, and Kiev. Cahill has been featured as a concerto soloist with orchestras in the US, China, and Ukraine. His live and studio recordings have been broadcast on WQXR, New York’s Classical Music Radio Station, WCRB, Classical Radio Boston, and WSMC, Chattanooga Public Radio.

Cahill’s recordings and performances of the music of Nikolai Medtner has garnered strong reviews. As the first pianist to give an all-Medtner recital program at Carnegie Hall, New York Concert Review wrote, “Smith was in his element, revealing every twist and turn, every poignant repeat of the cyclic themes, with beautiful shimmering colors I haven’t heard since Gilels played in Carnegie Hall in 1980.” In 2019, Cahill’s debut album “Medtner: Forgotten Melodies” was featured by WCRB Classical Radio Boston and endorsed as “…the kind of recording that offers the best chance for listeners to be taken into Medtner’s fascinating world from the very first hearing. It’s a remarkable accomplishment!” – Marc-André Hamelin

 Cahill joined the faculty of Utah State University in 2019, where he has served as co-coordinator of the piano program and Director of Graduate Studies. Cahill teaches courses in piano performance, pedagogy, literature, keyboard skills, and special topics, and serves as programming coordinator for the Wassermann Piano Series and the Chamber Music Society of Logan. He served as the Director of the USU Summer Piano Festival and Teacher Training Workshop (2020-2023), and as advisor for USU Youth Conservatory and the MTNA Collegiate Chapter at USU. He was named Teacher of the Year” (2023) “Undergraduate Mentor of the Year” (2023) and “Graduate Mentor of the Year” (2021) for the Caine College of the Arts. His students have gone on to excellent MM and DMA programs and into professional work as teachers, collaborators, and college professors.

2025-26 MTNA National Collegiate Chapter
Utah State University Collegiate Chapter

Our own Utah State University Collegiate Chapter has been named the MTNA National Collegiate Chapter of the Year! This is the highest honor awarded annually by MTNA to a single collegiate chapter nationwide. Each year, collegiate chapters from across the country submit comprehensive applications documenting their activities, membership participation, partnerships, and impact. A national MTNA committee reviews all submissions and selects one outstanding chapter whose work exemplifies the mission and values of MTNA. This prestigious award recognizes the USU Collegiate Chapter for their exceptional achievements in leadership, innovation, service, community engagement, performance, and scholarship.

Some of their achievements during this remarkable year were:

• Growth of the chapter’s membership to 41 active members, up from just 10 members six years ago.
• Five USU students presenting at the MTNA Collegiate Symposium in Oklahoma and another presenting at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy.
• A total of 39 members and 5 faculty attending the 2024 Utah Music Teachers Association State Conference, where students presented research and shared teaching successes.
• Participation in the Gina Bachauer Foundation’s Piano Inspirato program, the USU Summer Piano Festival, and the USU Youth Conservatory, including support for AIM evaluations, PianoFest, and the Monster Concert.
• Service activities, including a practice room clean-up, audition day welcoming panels, a new piano student directory, and performances for nursing home residents.
• Participation in a scholarship fundraiser hosted by the Caine College of the Arts and two themed recitals: a silent film recital and a recital of rarely performed works paired with new compositions created by students.

In addition to the national MTNA award, the USU Collegiate Chapter was named the 2024–25 Organization of the Year for the Caine College of the Arts, a competitive honor among all student groups in art, design, theater, and music.

Congratulations to the Utah State University Collegiate Chapter and their faculty advisors on this extraordinary achievement!

2024-25 MTNA Foundation Fellow
Paula Manwaring, NCTM

Paula Manwaring, NCTM 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. She is a music educator, published composer, editor, arranger, creator of A Note in Time: Review in Note Recognition, and two levels of Musical Discoveries: Multitrack Sequencing. She is also the creator and author of Minimusic, a group theory program for young beginners, published by Kjos Music Publishers and taught in schools and music studios around the world.

Paula has enjoyed serving as the Salt Lake, Utah Chapter President, UMTA Certification Chair, UMTA State President 2020-22, and MTNA State President’s Advisory Council Chair 2021. She currently serves on UMTA’s State Board as Website Chair and is the Southwest Division Director-elect for MTNA where she also enjoys serving on the MTNA Membership Committee.

Paula enjoys exploring new technology and engaging her students as they enhance their musical learning experience. Her greatest technological challenge and joy has been participating 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!

It has been a pleasure, a blessing, and an honor to be involved with UMTA / MTNA. I am a better teacher and a better person because of the influence this organization and its members have been in my life. 

2023-24 MTNA Foundation Fellow
Laurisa Ward Cope, NCTM

2022-23 MTNA Foundation Fellow
Dr. Kevin Olson

DR. Kevin Olson is an active pianist, composer, and professor of piano at Utah State University, where he has taught courses in piano literature, pedagogy, accompanying, music theory, improvisation, commercial composition, and rock & roll history, among others.

In addition to his collegiate teaching responsibilities, Dr. Olson coordinates the keyboard studies program at Utah State, and oversees the USU Youth Conservatory, which provides weekly piano instruction to over 150 pre-college community students.
Dr. Olson has been a Composer in Residence at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, and has written music commissioned and performed by groups such as the Five Browns, Music Teachers National Association, American Piano Quartet, Chicago a cappella, the Rich Matteson Jazz Festival, American Grands, the Festival for Creative Pianists, the American Festival Chorus & Orchestra, and numerous piano teacher associations around the country. He gives workshops and performances nationally and internationally, most recently in India, China, Canada, Great Britain, and Italy.

Kevin maintains a large piano studio, teaching students of a variety of ages and abilities. Many of the needs of his own piano students have inspired over 200 published books and solos, written in a variety of levels and styles. For more information, visit https://www.kevinolsonmusic.com/

2023 Stecher & Horowitz Power of Innovation Award
Joshua Wright

MTNA-Stecher & Horowitz Power of Innovation Award is provided through the generosity of its benefactors and namesakes, Melvin Stecher and Norman Horowitz, whose own life and work epitomized the power of innovation.

Joshua Wright’s work in the field of online music teaching and performance has reached over 175,000 subscribers and nearly 20 million views. Josh has created numerous online video courses to help students of all ages and abilities improve their technique and musicality. With his wife, Lindsey Wright, and the AMAR Foundation, he authored an online beginner piano course for refugees in a camp located in northern Iraq, displaced from their homes due to war and terrorism. With the help of generous donors, over 200 digital pianos were delivered to these camps and two semesters of piano classes were taught to children wanting to learn music.

Josh earned a DMA degree from the University of Michigan and MM and BM degrees from the University of Utah. His principal teachers were. Logan Skelton and Susan Duehlmeier. He has also studied privately with concert pianist, Sergei Babayan. Josh served on the piano faculty at the University of Utah from 2016–2021.

Josh was a prizewinner at the 2015 National Chopin Competition, also winning the Mazurka prize. He won third prize and the audience prize at the 2014 Washington International Piano Competition, first prize at the 2013 Heida Hermanns International Piano Competition, first prize at the 2013 Rosamond P. Haeberle Piano Award competition, the gold medal at the 2010 Seattle International Piano Competition, and first prize at the 2010 American Protége International Competition of Romantic Music. He was the second-prize winner of the 2011 Music Teachers National Association National Competition. He was also a top prizewinner in the New York Piano Competition, the Louisiana International Piano Competition and the Julia Crane International Piano Competition.

2023 MTNA Collegiate Chapter of the Year
Utah State University Collegiate Chapter

Chapter President: Audry Ricks, Advisers: Kevin Olsen and Cahill Smith

The MTNA Collegiate Chapter of the Year Award is given to the MTNA Collegiate Chapter that demonstrates excellence in its chapter activities.

The Utah State University piano program has a vibrant MTNA collegiate chapter, consisting of nearly 30 piano majors and minors. It has been recognized as the Utah Music Teacher Association Collegiate Chapter of the Year three of the past four years (2019, 2020, 2022), due to its active engagement in UMTA conferences and other events. The chapter integrates UMTA events and other activities through the USU Youth Conservatory, a lab school where more than 150 pre-college pianists receive lessons and group classes, taught by the college students.

While the chapter has a long list of ongoing activities, among their newest projects are the Gina Bachauer “Music in Our Schools,” program which are contracted performances by chapter members and faculty at Utah K-12 Schools, educational concerts for around 3,000 students, age K-6 (and counting!) and “Piano and Strings Chamber Music,” which is the first curricular piano and strings collaboration at USU.

2021-2022 MTNA Foundation Fellow
Dr. Nancy Allred, NCTM

Dr. Nancy Allred, NCTM, is Professor of Music, Director of Piano Studies, and Associate Dean for the College of the Arts at Dixie State University. She has developed an outstanding piano program and mentors a wonderful studio of piano majors. Dr. Allred has developed courses in piano pedagogy, literature, ensemble, accompanying, group piano and private piano. Recently, she developed a “Piano Pedagogy Certificate Program” for DSU.

An accomplished soloist and chamber musician, Dr. Allred is a distinguished collaborator of vocal, choral and instrumental music.

She holds advanced degrees from BYU and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, studying piano with Paul Pollei, Robert Smith, and renounced professor Joanne Baker.

Nancy is the director for Castle Rock Piano Camps, held annually at Dixie State. She is also the co-director with Dr. Christian Bohnenstengel, for the annual Southern Utah Pedagogy Conference. Nancy was president of the BYU Student Chapter of UMTA as a graduate student, and directed the first and second annual BYU Piano Festivals, 1987 and 1988.

After moving to St. George, Dr. Allred organized the St. George Chapter of UMTA. The first meeting was held at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts in 1994. With support form her mentor, Dr. Paul Pollei, she was the first president of the St. George Chapter.

Nancy was UMTA Performance Competitions Coordinator, 2006-07. She frequently presents at chapter meetings and state conferences. Dr. Allred continuously sponsors UMTA chapter meetings, performance evaluations, and honors recitals held at the DSU Eccles Fine Arts Center.

2021 – 2022 MTNA MarySue Harris Studio Teacher Fellowship

DR. DESIREÉ GONZÁLEZ-MILLER, NCTM was awarded the MarySue Harris Studio Teacher Fellowship. This award is a $3,000 fellowship, funded by the MarySue Harris Endowment. It is designed to assist a music teacher with establishing, developing and enhancing their studio.

Desireé González-Miller holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brigham Young University and a DMA degree from the University of Utah. Desireé has served on the BYU piano faculty as a visiting assistant professor of piano. While there, she served as pianist for the Sundance Trio. She maintains an active schedule maintaining a private studio, coordinating the U Piano Outreach Program, and as an associate instructor at the preparatory division at the University of Utah. She received the Reid Nibley Scholar award twice while studying at Brigham Young University (BYU).

In 2014, she was given the Student Teacher of the Year Award by the Utah Music Teachers’ Association, and the following year, she won the Janet Mann Teaching Excellence Award at the University of Utah.

Desireé served as the BYU Collegiate Chapter president and was a member of the 2015 MTNA National Conference Planning committee. She served on the planning committee for the 2015–2017 MTNA Collegiate Chapters Piano Pedagogy Symposiums and she is a current member of the MTNA Nominating committee.

2020 – 2021 MTNA Teacher of the Year
Dr. Yu-Jane Yang

Dr. Yu-Jane Yang is a Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor, Endowed Scholar/Artist of the College of Arts & Humanities, and the Director of Keyboard Studies at Weber State University in Utah. Yu-Jane feels extremely privileged being selected as the national recipient of the 2020 MTNA Teacher of the Year, and being named as an MTNA Foundation Fellow in 2011. She served on the State Board of the Utah Music Teachers Association for more than twenty years, including serving as the UMTA State President, State Competition Chair, State Conference Chair, and State Collegiate Faculty Chair. Yu-Jane also served as a co-chair of the Collegiate Pedagogy Teaching Committee and the Internship Committee of the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy from 2007 to 2018. She was recognized with an Outstanding Service Award in 2019 by NCKP, and was bestowed with the prestigious honor of UMTA’s Legacy Award in 2010 for her exceptional teaching, outstanding professional achievements, and superior service to the music profession.

Much in demand as a presenter, performer, and master class teacher, Yu-Jane has given numerous piano workshops, master classes, and concert performances in Austria, Poland, Norway, Spain, Italy, Germany, Singapore, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Canada, and the United States. She also appears frequently as an adjudicator for piano competitions nationally and internationally, including judging the MTNA National Finals of the Senior Piano Duets Competition, MTNA Southwest Division Piano Competitions, and Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition preliminary auditions.

Yu-Jane’s piano students have been top prizewinners in both collegiate and pre-college divisions in numerous state, national, and international piano competitions, including the national first place winner of the 2010 MTNA Steinway Young Artist Collegiate Piano Competition, and the 2020 Gilmore Young Artist Award winner. Her WSU Pedagogy students have also won state and national recognition for their outstanding teaching, including seven state winners of the UMTA Collegiate Student Teacher of the Year, one national winner of the MTNA Studio Teaching Fellowship, and four-time national winners of the MTNA Collegiate Chapter of the Year.

Sandra Preysz Endowment Fund

The Music Teachers National Association has an established endowment program to honor prestigious music teachers throughout the United States. The Sandra Preysz Endowment Fund was created in 2018-19 to honor Sandra Preysz by her friends and family, current and former students, and music colleagues.

As a member of the Utah Music Teachers Association State Board for more than 39 years, Sandra Lewis Preysz, NCTM, has served in various capacities including Membership Chair and State Newsletter editor. She is equally devoted to the National Federation of Music Clubs and Utah Federation of Music Clubs and serves as the Festivals Chair for both organizations. Sandra attended the University of Utah where she graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in English. She currently teaches more than 75 students. In her free time, Sandra loves to read, sail, ski, play tennis, cook, and travel the world. Sandra’s life-long dedication to her students and her profession is unprecedented. The legacy she has left can be found in the countless lives she has influenced throughout her lifetime.

MTNA Note: These endowments support MTNA programs, grants and awards. Contributors to MTNA may direct their donation to a specific endowment, thus increasing its value and earning power. There are 32 named endowment funds. Several of these funds are directed to the support of the teacher enrichment grant program, while others provide funds for local association grants, competition awards and other MTNA programs.

2019 MTNA State Affiliate of the Year Utah Music Teachers Association
Laurisa Cope, NCTM -State President

The Utah Music Teachers Association uses four words or phrases to describe its members. The first is Unselfish. They give their time and talents not only to their own students and studios, but to the communities in which they live, and to make UMTA the best organization it can be. The second is Teacher Education and Communication. UMTA works tirelessly to update their website, Nationally Certify its members, execute an unparalleled conference, push their Achievement in Music Program, pursue ways to get to know and involve the collegiate members, and collaborate with local associations. The third is Achievement. From 2017-2018, UMTA had 77 students participate in the performance competitions, with student winners coming from 19 different teachers. They had 5 students participate in the composition competitions, with student winners coming from 5 different teachers. Finally, History! Utahans are known for their desire to keep a history of their roots. UMTA has a strong history that spans over 60 years. They have a a history of exceptional and distinctive teaching at all levels, including 33 MTNA Performance Competition 1st place winners, four Collegiate Chapter of the Year winners and two Studio Teacher Fellowship winners. Every member of UMTA contributes to its wonderful history and incredible future!