Our faculty 2018

Music and dance have always been an important part of Mira’s life. She spent her early childhood with her family on the east coast of the US, where her mother was so “infected” with the barbershop virus that she joined the women’s barbershop choir Harmunichs after the family’s return to Germany. Mira danced classical ballet for many years, played saxophone, and sang in the children’s and youth choirs of her church in Erding before joining her mother on the Harmunichs risers at the age of 16. For over 13 years she has been passionately dedicated to the choir, with whom she has already won gold at the German championships three times (in 2006, 2016 and 2018). At the competition in 2016 she won third place with her quartet Kickstart. Since 2014 she has been a member of Heavy Medal Chorus. Mira is part of the Visual Team in both of her choirs, sharing responsibility for developing and rehearsing new choreography. She loves to help choir singers “tease out” their emotions and joy in performing.
Since 2016 she has been on the road as a coach for other groups throughout Germany. In 2017 she was co-director for the Youth Chorus in Oberwesel and offered a seminar entitled “Magic happens outside the comfort zone - Wie wir Träume in Ziele verwandeln”.
In “real” life she works as a graphic designer.

Robert Mance is excited to be starting his ninth year as musical director of Central Standard, recently earning 2nd and 3rd place international medals.  Robert is also the founding director of Vocal Standard, a new women's a cappella ensemble.

Robert completed the coursework for a doctoral degree in choral conducting at the University of Kansas, where has conducted the Oread Consort, Men's Glee, and  University Singers.  He serves as Director of Music at Shawnee Presbyterian Church where he also maintains a private voice studio.  He spends the rest of his week as a full time barbershop coach.

Before starting his studies at KU, Robert recently served as interim Director of Choral Activities and Voice Area Director at William Jewell College. Robert has also sung professionally with such groups as the Kansas City Chorale and the Westminster Symphonic Choir and Westminster Choir.

Robert is an active clinician for high school vocal ensembles, maintains a recording studio, and serves as a Barbershop Harmony Society judge in the singing category, and formerly in the music category.

Robert completed his undergraduate studies at McGill University in voice performance, and completed his graduate studies at Westminster Choir College in choral conducting and voice pedagogy.

Steve is a 35-year member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, who proves the adage that barbershopping runs in the blood. Great-grandfather Frank Barker started a chapter in 1946; his father, Dave, was a 40+ year member, and his son, Joshua is a BHS member. His wife, Renee, is a 35+ year member of Harmony Inc., who directs New England Voices in Harmony (2014 champs). Their daughters Christina and Samantha also sing with their mother in Taken 4 Granite, 2015 Harmony Inc. International Quartet Champions.

Steve directed the Granite Statesmen to 10 District championships (1997 – 2007), was 1999 District quartet champ and a five-time International quartet competitor, and became a Certified Music judge in 2010. He serves as a Board of Review member and has judged BHS International three times, as well as several affiliate contests (Harmony Inc, SNOBS, BNA, BHNZ, Holland Harmony, SABS). He also works as an active arranger and coach and has been a faculty member of BHS Harmony University, District and Area schools, the BABS Directors College and Harmony College.

Steve was named Barbershopper of the Year in 1999 for the Nashua chapter, and for the Northeastern District in 2012. Steve works for Hewlett Packard Enterprise as Director of Engineering.

Theresa is a Certified Performance Judge and Category Specialist with Harmony, Inc and currently a BHS Performance Candidate Judge. Theresa brings her world of theater training and stage experience into her coaching sessions, believing that every performer possesses a unique personality and individual characteristics.

Theresa is a world class performance coach to all types of performers who want to take their already existing performance skills to new heights and to learn how to achieve believability through continued education and development. She helps performers discover and develop their own stage personality while enriching their total performance experience. Being a Certified Musical Director herself, this trusted advisor has taught, guided and mentored all over North America, Sweden, Russia, New Zealand, Germany and the UK.

Known for her "all-consuming passion" for the stage, Theresa specializes in helping performers improve on their current performance skills and inspires them to want to own the stage. She herself has had over 38 years on the stage as a singer and actor, and her latest work has been in front of the camera as an background actor in movies and local TV productions.