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.
Asa Cleveland, Primary 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.
Chris Martinez, Assistant Accompanist, started taking piano lessons at the age of 8, studying with Mark Klett. He went on to study with Amanda Gros and Dr. Laura Spritzer (former faculty in piano at NMSU. Chris is now working with Dr. Jung-Won Shin, assistant professor of music at NMSU. His musical experience includes accompanying musicals with local community theatres as well as brass and string soloists at NMSU. Having played violin in the past for four years, he is focusing now on piano. Chris is currently majoring in psychology in the pre-med program at NMSU.