European Harmony Academy

Blair Brown is a singer and performance coach based in Los Angeles. She earned her BA in Music from the University of Missouri–St. Louis, studying with Dr. Jim Henry, and became a certified Performance Judge for the Barbershop Harmony Society in 2023. As Lead of the two-time BinG! World Mixed Quartet Champion Double Date, she has performed and taught worldwide since 2012. The group has released two albums, with their CARA-winning song Didn’t We named “Best Barbershop Song” of 2018, and is now working on a third. In 2019, Blair became the first woman elected to the BHS International Board of Directors and served as a judge at Japan’s first Barbershop convention in 2024. She’s also an avid cook and certified yoga instructor.

Andrew Carolan has been deeply involved in the barbershop community for 20 years.
He directed Toronto Northern Lights, the premiere lower-voiced (TTBB) barbershop chorus in Canada, leading the group in its adventures to Harmony University, BHS International, and the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales. Andrew is a coach and arranger for top a cappella ensembles, a certified Musicality Judge, and was on faculty for Harmony University. He sang baritone (of course!) with Detour, 2022 Ontario District quartet champion and International representative. Andrew owes his success to the world-class education available through barbershop. He is passionate about helping musical leaders develop the tools to build and sustain their own creative communities.

Peter Cunningham is Chair of the Music & Dance Department and Director of Choral and Vocal Studies at Kilgore College. A Barbershop Harmony Society member since 2008, he is a certified Singing Judge, serves on the Singing Category Board of Review, and has taught at Harmony University since 2017. He sang Lead in The Academy (2014 Collegiate Champions) and with Southern Stride (U.S. representatives at the 2018 World Mixed Quartet Contest). Currently, he sings Lead with Opus IV(2024 District Champions, 21st at 2025 Internationals). A sought-after clinician and coach, Peter works with youth, choruses, quartets, and singers worldwide. He lives with his wife Sarah, daughters Annalise and Claire, and their dog Hazel.

Darin Drown taught high school vocal music for 32 years in Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado, retiring from Grandview High School (Aurora, CO) in 2024. His choruses frequently performed at the Colorado Music Educators’ Convention and consistently earned Superior ratings. He was named “Teacher of the Year” twice and once honored as District Teacher of the Year. For 15 years, Darin directed the Sound of the Rockies chorus, earning seven international medals, including a 3rd-place finish, and led the Velvet Hills Chorus to two international contests. He coaches barbershop quartets and choruses worldwide, sings baritone with Storm Front (2010 BHS Champion), and is a certified Estill Voice Proficiency (EFP) trainer.

Alexander Koller is a BinG! Certified Coach and has been a Musicality Judge in the American Barbershop Harmony Society since 2023. He has been an enthusiastic barbershopper for fifteen years, when he sang in the Big Apple Chorus during a one-year stay in New York. Since then he has sung in several German quartets and was the founder of the European Harmony Brigade. Alexander has taught and coached at several events in Germany, the USA and the Netherlands, including the Virtual Harmony University and the European Quartet School. His coaching sessions are mostly about how to get music moving and how to get the musical details out of an arrangement. He is looking forward to working with you and to many tags at Afterglow!

Andrew Rembecki is a dedicated music educator, vocal instructor, choir director, and coach with extensive experience in choral education and performance. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, he has been residing in Munich, Germany, for the past six years. Currently, he serves as the Director of Herrenbesuch, a prominent men’s barbershop chorus in Munich. Andrew holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Music Education from Northwest Missouri State University. He has spent six years teaching choir in the public school system, fostering a passion for music among his students. Previously, he was the Associate Director of Central Standard, where he contributed to the chorus's achievement of the 2016 Barbershop Harmony Society Silver Medal. With over 20 years of experience in barbershop singing, Andrew brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his work in music education and performance.

Stefanie Schmidt has been active in barbershop for 15 years as a quartet singer and director. She is co-organiser and graduate of the BinG! Coaching Certification Program, in which barbershop coaches are trained for the BinG! ensembles and is herself a popular coach for German and international ensembles. Since 2023 Stefanie is the first person in Europe to be a certified judge of the Barbershop Harmony Society in the performance category. Stefanie's great passion is all aspects of human communication. As a coach, she focuses particularly on helping ensembles to perform individually and authentically and to harness the natural expressiveness of singing.

The lyrical tenor Fabian Strotmann is among the most versatile concert and ensemble singers of his generation. A sought-after soloist, he performs with renowned orchestras, vocal ensembles, and radio choirs in Germany and abroad. He graduated with distinction from the Folkwang University of the Arts, and his repertoire spans from medieval to contemporary music, with a focus on oratorio and concert performance. For ten years, he has been a member of the award-winning Barbershop quartet “Barberpapas.” In addition, he is active in youth work with BinG!, leads workshops (including at chor.com and the German National Congress for Music Education), and is a respected coach and instructor at events such as the Harmony College and the European Quartet School.

Dr. Timothy Workman is Director of Choral Activities at the University of Arkansas–Fort Smith, where he teaches conducting and voice and leads three choirs. A Harmony University faculty member for eight years, he teaches conducting, pedagogy, and ensemble leadership and is a frequent clinician at U.S. conferences and festivals. He earned his DMA in Choral Conducting from the University of Texas at Austin and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brigham Young University. A 2001 Next Generation Gold Medalist with the quartet Reprise, he toured nationally and recorded three albums. Dr. Workman and his wife sing with their four children as The Workman Family Singers, known for their tight harmony and joyful sound. They’ll return as featured performers at Harmony University 2025 for the fourth year in a row.

Naud Berkhuizen discovered barbershop music by chance in Singapore in 2015 and has been captivated ever since. Drawn to the thrill of ringing chords, he soon focused on performances that truly move audiences—creating moments that transform a room. Hardly surprising given his decade as a role-playing Game Master. A Performance Judge candidate with the Barbershop Harmony Society, Naud is part of the Education Team of Holland Harmony. He coaches quartets and choruses in Ireland and the Netherlands and has served on faculty for Harmony College Northeast in Boston. Naud sings with Game On! quartet and Mixed Nuts chorus, serving as in-house performance coach. Whether performing or coaching, his goal is the same: sparking genuine human connection through barbershop harmony.