As always, for the New Zealand national convention, BHNZ secures the talents of a world-class quartet. This year Pan Pacific 2023 goes further than that - we have two headline quartets! Both are international quartet competition finalists - Instant Classic winning gold in 2015, and GQ placing 3rd in the Sweet Adelines International Contest in 2020.
Read more about Instant Classic below, and GQ here.
Instant Classic comprises David Zimmerman, Theo Hicks, Kohl Kitzmiller, and Kyle Kitzmiller. They are four good friends with a passion for barbershop harmony, a cappella music, and music education. Be prepared to enjoy a variety of music from several decades and styles, including vocal jazz, musical theater, pop, and even R&B!
The quartet began singing together in college and first competed in the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) International Collegiate Quartet Competition in 2009. The group has since become the 2011 Cardinal District Quartet Champions, the 2012 International Collegiate Quartet Silver Medalists, and in Pittsburgh, PA they earned the title of the 2015 International Quartet Champions. They have also been recognized in the Cardinal District as Quartet of the Year in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2017. They are also all proud members of their home chapter in the BHS, the Greater Indianapolis chapter (Circle City Sound).
The group has performed all over the world, including in the United States, Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Australia. They have appeared on National Television in the US, including opening for the Sing-Off Tour in Indianapolis in 2015 and performing as a featured act on the Today Show in 2016. They have also served as guest clinicians and teaching quartets for Youth in Harmony Camps (such as Camp A Cappella), Harmony University, and Harmony Academies around the world since their formation. The group features arrangements by all four of the quartet members and has recorded two albums – “Instant Classic” and “Instant Classic: Start of Something Big!” You can purchase hard copies of the albums at the end of the show or find their music through online music stores such as iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Play, or directly from their website.
To keep up-to-date with the quartet, you can find updates on their website www.instantclassicquartet.com, or LIKE them on their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/instantclassicqt.
David Zimmerman, Tenor - David was born and raised in Richmond, IN, and became a member of the BHS at the age of 20, when he met Kyle while in college. He is currently a member and Assistant Director of the Circle City Sound, and also arranges vocal music and teaches private voice lessons (www.davidpzimmerman.com). Having graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education, he has taught in public schools for over 8 years and now holds the position of Choral Director at Avon Middle School South in Avon, IN. As a Certified Music Judge for the BHS, he also serves as the Cardinal District Representative for Contest & Judging (DRC&J). He currently resides in Indianapolis with his fiancée, Laura.
Theo Hicks, Lead - Theo grew up in Farmington Hills MI, and became a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society when he was 15 years old. He graduated from Anderson University with Music Honors with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education in 2010, taught in public schools for 7 years, and is now earning his master’s degree in Choral Conducting at Ball State University, assisting with the choral program and teaching music theory classes. He is the Musical Director of Circle City Sound and is an active composer and arranger (www.theohicksmusic.com). He also enjoys serving as a guest conductor and clinician for music education events around the world and has presented at numerous music education conferences (including ICDA, IMEA, and NAfME). He lives in Noblesville, IN with his wife, Laura, and their daughter, Nora.
Kohl Kitzmiller, Baritone - Kohl started singing barbershop at the age of 9 in Elkhart, IN. Kohl graduated from Ball State University with a Music Media Production Degree and is currently a member of the South Bend-Mishawaka and serves as the Vice President of Music and Performance for the Greater Indianapolis chapter. Kohl is an active arranger for barbershop and a cappella music, makes learning tracks (www.kksounds.com), and also works as a recording engineer and live sound technician. He resides in Indianapolis, serving as the Cardinal District Director of Youth in Harmony and the district’s Harmony Explosion Camp Director.
Kyle Kitzmiller, Bass - Originally from Elkhart, IN, Kyle officially started singing barbershop at the age of 10. He is a member of the South Bend-Mishawaka and Greater Indianapolis chapters and currently serves as the President of the Greater Indianapolis chapter. He graduated from Ball State University with a Music Technology Degree in 2009 and owns his own website development business called Square Coda (www.squarecoda.com) and services clients across the country. He is also an active arranger and Certified Music Judge of the BHS and currently resides in Noblesville with his wife, Jennifer, and their daughter, Natalie.
