Instructors

Austin Weyand is a passionate musician who is sought after as a performer, composer, arranger, and educator. He holds a masters degree in guitar from Northern Illinois University, where he studied classical, jazz, and world music. For undergraduate studies, Austin received a baccalaureate degree in guitar performance from Utah State University, where he received the "Outstanding Guitarist" award and was the two-time winner of the USU Concerto Competition. He is now an adjunct professor of guitar at Utah State University.

Austin is the three-time winner of the State of Wyoming Fingerstyle Guitar Competition, and he holds the same title in Utah. He has two solo-guitar albums, "Too Much Information," and "They Call Me Dad."

Gregory Warren Blunt is a musician, composer, and educator with a passion for helping young artists grow in skill and confidence. With several years of experience in teaching, composing, and performing, he now supports Aspire's mission through culture and community outreach. From his own journey as a teacher and performer to his work developing programs and encouraging student creativity, Gregory is dedicated to building an inclusive and inspiring arts community.

"I'm grateful to be part of Aspire, where, just like the power of music, we continue to bring people together, lift hearts, and shape lives."

Amy Thacker Anderson began her study of the violin at the age of 3. Throughout her youth, she participated in many performing groups including Rocky Mountain Strings, the Boston Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Utah State University Symphony. She has traveled to Argentina, the Netherlands, Italy, and Brazil as a member of these ensembles. In 2018 she was the winner of the USU concerto competition and made her debut as a soloist with orchestra. She enjoys performing as a soloist and playing chamber music with her friends the most. Amy holds a bachelor's degree from Utah State University in Violin Performance where she studied with the Fry Street Quartet with Robert Waters as her violin instructor. Additionally, Amy is also Suzuki method trained through book 6.

Amy has been teaching private music lessons for the last ten years, spending four of those years as an orchestra teacher. She enjoys watching her students grow and helping them to develop their sense of musicality. She hopes all her students will develop a lifelong love for music.

Casey Turner was born and raised in Brigham City, Utah and has a passion for the performing arts. Throughout his youth, he excelled in violin, piano, and handbell performance, even being elected as the Youth Representative to the Handbell Musicians of America Area 11 board in 2015.

As early as the 6th grade, Casey knew he had a desire to become a music teacher and became focused on learning from every new person he met. He has enjoyed learning from many different professional musicians including Conrad Dunn, Cheung Chau, Kayson Brown, and John Findlay.

In May of 2025, Casey received his bachelor's degree in Christian Ministry from Colorado Christian University. Through his desire to share the performing arts with his community, Casey coordinated a partnership effort between Community Presbyterian Church and Aspire Performance Academy of the Arts. Beginning in 2021, this partnership is one that still focused on bringing the art of handbell performance to the Brigham City community.

This successful partnership has only expanded to include community relationships with Box Elder Symphonic Choir, Musicality, and Box Elder Pops Orchestra. Casey operates his classrooms with the two main principles: have fun and never stop growing. He has been playing handbells for 15 years and continues to grow in his knowledge of the instrument through Handbell Musicians of America events, courses, and professional relationships.

"When I was first learning how to play handbells, I was amazed at the tenacity of my director, Cathy Olds. She told me that 'everyone can ring, as long as you can count to 4'. There were times in my youth that I doubted this, but she proved to me that she could teach and help anyone to be able to ring. Now that she has passed, I am blessed and humbled with the opportunity to continue the legacy that anyone can ring. What better place to share that beautiful truth than the community I grew up in? Aspire Performance Academy has given me the platform to keep this hidden art alive in our community."

Sarahn found her voice when she was 11 and never stopped singing! She sang in Madrigals at Box Elder High School and throughout college at Weber State. Sarahn has taught voice lessons for several years. She was also a founding board member at Aspire and is officially back in her second year as the choir director and preschool music teacher. Sarahn is thrilled to share her love of music and cannot wait to party again this year!

Nathan holds a Bachelor's degree in Music from Snow College, where he honed his skills as both a performer and composer. A versatile musician, Nathan has performed with a wide variety of groups across Utah, exploring genres from jazz and pop to classical and contemporary.

His primary instrument throughout high school and college was the saxophone, but his talents extend across the entire brass and woodwind families. During his time at Snow, he discovered a deep love for the bass, and now regularly performs both live and in the studio with bands on both bass and saxophone.

Nathan has had the privilege of studying under, performing alongside, and recording with world-class musicians including Carl Allen, Phillip Kuehn, and Rich Dixon. He also studied music composition with Dr. Trent Hanna and has written original pieces, as well as transcribed and arranged music to suit performers of all ages and skill levels.

Nathan is passionate about the performing arts and is thrilled to share that passion with the Brigham City community.

Brandon grew up in a home where music was always playing and was taught early on the importance of music education. He started his percussion journey at the young age of 11. In high school he played in the marching and jazz bands, participated in All State Orchestra, and marched in the Rose Parade as a part of the Wyoming High School All State Marching Band. He continued his music education in college by playing in Rix Stix (a drumline) at BYU-Idaho. After playing in many community orchestras, bands, and pit orchestras, Brandon understands the impact music education has on a community.

My name is Mandi Shupe and I grew up in Orem, UT. I started taking piano lessons when I was 7 years old. After quitting lessons in my teens, I realized how much I missed it and continued to push myself to learn more difficult pieces. I attended USU and received my bachelors degree in Biochemistry. I worked in my field for several years before quitting to stay home and raise my 3 girls. During that time, I didn't play piano much at all. Once my girls started taking lessons, it rekindled that love of piano in me. I have always been a piano soloist so learning to accompany choir has been fun and challenging. I love it and I love that I have a reason to sit down and practice every day!

Carrie Hansen has loved Gymnastics since Mary Lou Retton's perfect 10! Carrie began competing gymnastics in middle school and was able to balance gymnastics and cheerleading in high school. She was named an NCA All-American Cheerleader in 1994, as well as Virginia All-Region Gymnast in 1995. She continues to study technique, spotting, progressions, and best safety practices. Carrie has been a United States Association of Gymnastics (USAG) professional member since 2004. She has been a Northern Atlantic Women's Gymnastics Judge (NAWGJ) since 2014. Carrie has coached for the past 17 years in Box Elder County and is happy sharing her knowledge at her new home; Aspire Performance Academy of the Arts.

Andy grew up in Bountiful Utah and is a Utah native. He started men's gymnastics when he was 3 years old at USA Gymnastics World and continued competitively until 16. He competed in countless State and National competitions. He started coaching a men's club team at age 18 while at Utah State University, continuing his love for the sport of gymnastics. He has coached competitive men's gymnastics teams and power tumbling teams at multiple locations. He has coached most of his adult life and loves seeing the progress of students and helping them accomplish their goals.

Andy is involved in many different activities and sports and credits gymnastics for giving him the best foundation of body awareness, flexibility and strength. His favorite time to watch TV is during the summer Olympics watching Men's Gymnastics programs.

Nicole Lewis was born and raised in Brigham City and Perry. She was put into an early childhood gymnastics class at The Peak at the young age of 2, and worked her way through their recreational gymnastics program and into their competitive one. She last competed USAG Level 6, where she was invited to compete at the Regional Competition when she was 11. This was where Nicole first met Carrie Hansen, one of her early gymnastics coaches. After gymnastics, she switched her focus to the Aerial Arts, and learned Aerial Silks and Lyra. She then coached at The Peak for multiple years, teaching both gymnastics and silks.

She has always known that she wanted to work with children, and become a teacher one day. Nicole worked at Aspire for a year in 2020, coaching tumbling, and left for a couple years to focus on school and to get married. She is a student at Weber State University, only 2 semesters away from getting her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education. She came back to Aspire in 2024 for a college assignment, and she hasn't left! During the school year, Nicole is also a substitute teacher, looking for any and all ways to work with children and to advance her own knowledge in working with students.

She is passionate about building students' confidence in themselves, and ensuring they have a safe place to grow and build relationships. Her philosophy is that while she is teaching tumbling skills, she is also teaching important life skills, such as kindness, resilience, patience, and the ability to love and respect others.

Tenesey has a passion for teaching kids the fundamentals of tumbling while helping them grow in confidence, strength, and skill. She loves watching each student reach new goals and discover what they're capable of. Tenesey is certified by the United States Association of Gymnastics Safety and has completed all official safety training, helping to create a safe and encouraging space where every child can feel supported as they learn and achieve.

Keriann Lee Nelson was born and raised in Brigham City and grew up loving the arts. She attended Box Elder High School where she actively participated in theatre, music, and track. It was during her senior year that she knew she wanted to teach theatre. After high school she received her Associates of Fine Arts from Western Wyoming Community College where she was able to play Little Red Riding Hood in Into the Woods and Zanita in Music Man, amongst other roles. Before marrying her husband and heading to Rexburg, ID to finish school, Keriann was able to stage manage Phantom of the Opera at Box Elder High School. Keriann graduated from BYU-Idaho with her Bachelor's of Theatre and Speech Education. Once finished with schooling Keriann and her growing family moved back to Brigham where she was presented with an idea. To take arts education in Box Elder county to the next level. As one of the founding board members at Aspire, she has been able to watch the community support for this wonderful program grow. In 2019 Keriann packed up her family and moved down south. They spent five years in Alabama where she started the drama club at her children's school and directed Dinosaurs Before Dark which included 104 kids ages 5-11. As much as they loved the South, Keriann's deep roots in Brigham couldn't keep them away for long. They moved back to Brigham because no matter where life takes her, this is home.

Vali grew up in a family where music was always playing and dancing was just part of life. Watching her older sister dance, she knew right away she wanted to be just like her. At a young age, Vali laced up her first pair of dance shoes and began learning the basics of tap, jazz, and ballet. As she grew, so did her love of trying new styles. She spent the next few years learning the lively rhythms of clogging, tapping her way through four years of energetic performances. By 7th grade, Vali was ready for a new adventure. She tried out for her school’s cheerleading team just for fun—and ended up spending the next five years cheering, dancing, and performing with her team. College opened even more doors for Vali’s dancing journey. From exploring dance theory in the classroom to stepping onto the floor in social dance classes, she learned the basics of styles like the Cha Cha, Waltz and plenty of line dances. From tiny tap shoes to cheer routines and ballroom steps, Vali has always loved to move. For her, dance isn’t just something she learned—it’s been a joyful part of her story every step of the way.

My name is Taylor, and I haven’t gone to college yet (I’m still a teenager), but I go to Box Elder High School as a Junior. I’m in the KEY club and the Northern Utah Youth Symphony, and I work as a front desk lady (aka here at Aspire). I’ve played the viola since I was ten, so I do have some musical prowess, and I’m a big bookworm. Normally I have a lot of projects going on, including hobbies like drawing, writing, crocheting, and the like. Oh, and I have 4.0 grades. :D

Lauren Watkins was born and raised in Willard, Utah. Her mom jokes that she was born with a crayon and paintbrush in each hand.

Her main interests after graduating from Box Elder High were in art and teaching children. She went on to Utah State and earned her Child Development Associates and a Bachelors degrees in Family Consumer and Human Development. During that time, she worked as a preschool teacher. After she started having children of her own, she began focusing on her art; eventually, becoming a full-time watercolor and soft pastel artist. She loves teaching art to others and helping them build confidence in being creative.