OUR MUSIC TEAM
Judy Bethmann, Director, graduated from Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant with a bachelor’s degree in music education. Judy taught in Iowa for thirty years before moving to Las Cruces in 2001 and joined the Mesilla Valley Chorale that same year. She retired as band director and elementary music teacher at White Sands in 2013. She is active in community theater and P.E.O., is Vice President at Wellspring Church, and is also conductor of the New Horizons Band at NMSU.
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Barry Shaw, Primary Accompanist, graduated high school in Hobbs, NM, focusing on science and music, and then went on to a bachelor’s degree from NMSU. He spent most of his professional life with Boeing in Seattle, WA, while accompanying the Emerald City Volunteers, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the Lambda Defense Fund, in addition to playing for weddings, musical revues, and solo performances. After retiring, Barry moved to Las Cruces, where he accompanied Singing Out Las Cruces and many
community theatre musicals. He is currently the music director at two local churches.
Asa Cleveland, Assistant Accompanist, has been playing the piano since he was very young, having been taught by his mother and sister. He studied under Naomi Rupp and is currently being taught by Lela York. He has accompanied soloists and ensembles in past years and occasionally plays piano for Grace Bible Church as needed. He plays alto sax in the Main Street Homeschool Band and the New Horizons Band, and was first chair alto sax in the 2023 All-State Small School Band. Asa also enjoys playing guitar, violin, mandolin, and ukulele.