50-Year Members

GMTA has a number of members who have reached an important milestone in their lives. These very special persons have been members of GMTA and MTNA for 50 years and are our "golden" members. Please join us in recognizing these very deserving individuals.

If you believe that you are a 50-year member but your name is not listed below, please contact GMTA's Executive Director so that we can correct this oversight. Call 770-945-7504 or email .

Sue Barnes, NCTM

Sue Barnes is a graduate of Tift College in Forsyth, Georgia where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She had many influential teachers over the years including Leila Arrington from Bowdon, GA, Lois Lantz at Tift College, and Powell Everhart from Atlanta, GA. Sue has been an active member of GMTA for over 50 years. She served as the Certification Secretary for three years. She has also been an active member of Cobb County MTA, where she served as President, and Greater Marietta MTA, where she served as Secretary and Auditions Chair.

Sue was the pianist at Olive Springs Baptist Church in Marietta, GA for 11 years. She has been the pianist at Powder Springs First Baptist Church for the past 38 years.

Her parents are Mr. and Mrs. Dumah Adams from Carrollton, GA. Sue’s husband, Robbie Harold Barnes, is her best encourager. They have been married for 55 years. Together they have two daughters, Michelle Barnes Holt (Powder Springs, GA) and Jodie Barnes Hyde (Okinawa). Sue also has three grandchildren, two boys and one girl.

Barbara H. Fricks

Barbara H. Fricks graduated in 1960 from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Music degree. She taught piano in schools in Monroe and Toccoa. In 1964 she married Johnny Fricks and moved to Buford where she taught piano until retirement in 2001. With the help of her students, she earned national certification. She continues to encourage all the music students in her circle of friends, and she proudly wears the title Nationally Certified Teacher of Music.

Donald L. Macey, B.M., M.M.

Pianist, teacher, composer, arranger, performer, accomplished in classical, popular and jazz instruction, musician extraordinaire

Donald Macey rejected the idea of piano lessons when he was six. He thought better of it when he turned eight! From that moment on, he dedicated his life to music.

Donald graduated from Phoenix College in Phoenix, Arizona then spent the next four years in the Air Force. In Iceland he played trombone in the band and piano for various gigs including a weekly classical radio program and church services, playing both piano and organ. After four years of service, he received an honorable discharge with high recommendations! On his return to Phoenix, he studied piano again and continued working, playing for Broadway shows, clubs, weddings and various events. He was fortunate to work with some of the finest musicians at that time which added to his knowledge and growth in the music world. Relocating to Tucson, he enrolled at the University of Arizona, School of Music. He worked his way through school by forming his own trio and was, perhaps, the first pianist in Tucson to introduce classical and jazz in a single concert. Upon completing the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance, the University invited him to join the faculty. His teaching schedules included, History of Jazz, Jazz Improvisation (all instruments), and Piano Class.

Donald’s achievements are fourfold. Some of his professional organizations include Arizona Music Educators National Conference, National Association of Jazz Educators, lecturer, counselor, adjudicator, Music Series on Careers for Junior High Schools, visiting Professor, Summer Music Programs and performance, plus numerous concerts both classical and jazz throughout the United States.

He left the University of Arizona to open The Don Macey School of Piano. Many talented young, and not so young students passed through these doors taking with them music to nourish and sustain them for the rest of their lives. Moving to Augusta, Georgia, Donald continued his quest to enhance people’s lives with music. At John Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, he introduced them to their first Electronic Piano Class Lab, which consisted of sixteen pianos! He also instructed theory, composing and improvisation. Augusta University offered Donald a position to teach the music section of Humanities, which he accepted. He made it mandatory for students to attend concerts when he heard many of them had never attended a concert of classical music! Once again his own piano studio became a hub for students ranging in age from seven years to eighty years. Donald continues to present music with his trio working with some of Augusta’s talented musicians from Augusta University. With Covid 19 looming over all our lives the music industry has been hit hard. Fortunately, with Zoom and Facetime Donald continues to keep his students hard at work with their lessons.

LaNelle Nash

LaNelle, a native of Mississippi, moved to Roswell, Georgia in 1977. A graduate of Mississippi State College for Women, she also did graduate work at North Texas State University and Georgia State University. Previously she taught music in Shaw, Mississippi and Dallas, Texas. She has been a private piano teacher since 1959. She served as a clinician for Dr. Robert Pace instructing teachers in this method.

She has actively participated in Mississippi State Music Teachers Association and was instrumental in starting the Music Forum of Jackson, Mississippi, a local association. LaNelle, representing the Music Forum, gave an address for the State Presidents at the national convention of MTNA.

Since being in Georgia, she has been an active member of North Dekalb Music Teachers Association, North Fulton Music Teachers, as well as the Atlanta Music Club. She also served on the state board under Aurelia Campbell as editor of the the GMTA Newsletter. Certified professionally by GMTA and MTNA, she also is certified by the American College of Musicians and is listed in the Guild Hall of Fame. In 2013 LaNelle was honored to be named GMTA Teacher of the Year. As a church musician, she has played the piano and organ since she was eleven years old. Active in her music fraternity, Mu Phi Epsilon, she has served as president of the Atlanta chapter and scholarship chairman as well as co-chair of the Mu Phi Epsilon International Convention held in Atlanta in 1986.

Teaching brings her much joy and she has no plans to retire!

LaNelle is married to Tom Nash who has been a tremendous help throughout her career. They have two children, Donna, married to Stuart Safier, and David, also a piano teacher who lives in Roswell.

Carole Hyde Roach, NCTM

Carole Hyde Roach graduated from Decatur High School in Decatur, Georgia. She attended Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia where she received a Bachelor of Music degree. Carole continued her education at Florida State University, and received a Master of Music degree. Carole also took courses at Stetson University and the University of Georgia.

Carole held the position of Art in Residence for Voice at Mary Hardin Baylor College in Belton, Texas. She also taught at Kennesaw State University. Throughout all the other jobs she has always maintained a private studio for voice and piano students. Carole is still teaching daily. Her financial advisor asked when she was planning to quit teaching, and she said, "The day after I fall off the bench. That’s my plan!"

Carole owned Studio Music (a sheet music store) for 35 years. After the first three years, she moved into Southern Keyboards and was there until she closed the store.

Carole has also held various church jobs since she was 18 years old. She had the privilege of being part of some wonderful church music programs. In the early years Carole was the mezzo soloist and became director of music later in life. The churches Carole worked at are Peachtree Presbyterian Church (14 years as mezzo soloist), Peachtree United Methodist (3 years as mezzo soloist), Church of the Ascension in Cartersville (3 years as the Director of Music), St. Teresa Episcopal Church in Acworth (17 years as the Director of Music), and John Knox Presbyterian in Marietta.

After college Carole sang with the Fletcher Wolff Chorale, the Atlanta Chamber Opera, and the pro Mozart Society.

Carol states, "I am grateful to have been able to follow my passion all my working life (which is still ongoing!). I love music and working with my talented students to make music not just a part of their life but a part of their being. Within the music we find love, grief, consolation, forgiveness, anger, retribution, and on and on. In today's world the gift of music can be an emotional anchor. Our ever-increasing ability to communicate seems to only make people lonelier, more insular, and more insecure. Perhaps music can bring the solace we need."

Judith Siegel, NCTM

Dr. Siegel, a native of Richmond, VA, has been teaching for 53 years, is a Master Teacher and is Certified five different ways:

Nationally Certified by Music Teachers National Association, Master Level (NCTM)
State Certified by Florida State Music Teachers Association (FSCTM)
State Certified by Virginia Music Teachers Association (VACTM), her home state
Nationally Certified by the American College of Musicians, National Guild of Piano Teachers (ACM)
Nationally Certified in teaching the Russian Technical Regimen by world-renown composer, concert pianist, author and teacher, Alexander Peskanov (RTR)

Using all the letters available after her name (NCTM, FSCTM, VACTM, ACM, RTR) became much too long to include, so she just uses the national designation, NCTM and her doctorate in her signature.

Over the years, Dr. Siegel was privileged to study with many distinguished teachers including such greats as Dr. Robert Pace, Madame Lili Kraus, Maestro Aaron Copland, Frau Ilse Koller Leschtizky (granddaughter of the great pedagogue, Theodor Leschetizky), Florence Robertson Givens, Professor Hilton Rufty, Dr. Joanne Haroutounian, and most recently with composer and concert pianist, Alexander Peskanov. As a tribute to her, Maestro Peskanov composed a special work (Andante and Variations) for her 40th anniversary recital in 2004 and in 2011, composed his Concerto No. 7 in honor of Judith and Murray Siegel's 50th wedding anniversary.

Dr. Siegel's education includes two Doctorates - in Piano Performance and Music Theory. She studied at the University of Maryland, University of North Carolina in Greensboro, University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Columbia University Teachers College. She also studied privately at the artist level for over 15 years. Realizing there is no deadline on a dream, she also studied the pedal harp with master teacher, Jan Jennings.

A charter member of the Virginia Music Teachers Association, she held the presidency of the Richmond Music Teachers Association (RMTA) for two years. In Florida, she was President of the Brevard County Music Teachers Association for seven years before moving to Georgia where she is Secretary in the Greater Marietta Music Teachers Association and also a member of Cobb County Music Teachers Association.

Dr. Siegel was responsible for the historic musical find of an unknown piano concerto by Theodor Leschetizky and devoted many years of her life to bringing this music to the world. Related events were noted internationally by musicologists as "her major contribution to musical history." Her former student, Dr. Scott Beard, NCTM continues this mission.

Because of her extensive work in ensemble repertoire, The Siegel-Hoffman Concerto Competition, an annual event in West Virginia, was named in her honor.

Sandy Yeargan, NCTM

Sandy Yeargan is currently the Coordinator of the Preparatory Department at Shorter University, Rome, GA. She supervises student piano and voice teachers through the Preparatory Department.

Sandy has degrees from Young Harris College, Georgia Southern University, and a Masters in Music Education from Shorter College. She studied with Dr. Jack Broucek, Mrs. Mary Ann Fox, Mrs. Elizabeth Buday, Mrs. Mary Ann Knight, and Mrs. Helen Ramsaur.

Sandy is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in Piano, has a Lifetime Teaching Certificate form the Sate of Georgia in Music for K-12, is certified in Orff Level 1, and has taught Kindermusik. She is experienced in working with piano students with various learning problems and completed more than 45 hours on the Master Level in Learning Disabilities.

Sandy is a member of Georgia Music Teachers Association, Rome Music Teachers Association, Music Teachers National Association, National Federation of Music Clubs, and Pi Kappa Lambda.

Sandy is currently a teacher of over 40 piano students. Her students receive mostly Superior Ratings at Festival, and her students have placed at the state level in GMTA Auditions.

Past 50-Year Members and Years of Membership
Daisy Luckey Aukerman (1950-2019)
Ila Berenson (1956-2017)
Beverly Bradley (1957-2022)
Letitia Colglazier (1966-2017)
Jackie Conley (1956-2009)
Karlas Despy (1947-2010)
Jacquelyn Hutson (1967-2022)
Lila Ivester (1960-2010)
Ann Jones (1959-2020)
Louise Jones (1961-2011)
Mary Ann Knight (1964-2016)
Barbara Korzan (1961-2017)
Eugene Martin (1967-2022)
Sarah Martin (1967-2022)
Jeannine Morrison (1954-2021)
Aurelia Campbell (1956-2021)
George Lucktenberg (1957-2013)
Betty Nolting (1965-2017)
Helen Ramscur (1964-2015)
Janet Robinson (1961-2014)
Anne Shepherd (1960-2015)
Ronald Waln (1959-2009)

Recognitions