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Brandon Galbraith |
Jim Olson
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| Brandon Galbraith has held various director titles for the chorus since joining them in the fall of 2013, but as of January 2017, he is their principal conductor. He is a music educator and a 2016 graduate of the University of Minnesota. In addition to directing the North Stars, Brandon is also the director of the Vallee De Croix Chorus, a women’s barbershop chorus based in Stillwater, Minnesota, and he sings lead in his chapter quartet, Three Of A Kind, with Assistant Director Jim Olson. He also sings tenor with international medalist Great Northern Union Chorus and serves as tenor section leader. Brandon's musical activities don't stop with Barbershop though. He sings at Gethsemane Episcopal Church in Minneapolis as a tenor choral scholar, local groups Hymnos, and MPLS (pronounced Impulse), along with short appearances with the Minnesota Chorale and Singer In Accord. He also is the Office Manager for Grandall and Engen, a pipe organ builder, based out of Maple Grove, MN. |
Over the course of his 30+ years in Barbershop, Assistant Director Jim Olson has been involved with both the Northstar Chorus as well as the Great Northern Union. He's also an avid quartet man, singing tenor in Rain And Shine, All Around Town, SPATS, Engage, Genetic Advantage, Northern Blend, and the 2003 Land O' Lakes District Champions, Nouveau. He was selected Barbershopper Of The Year (BOTY) by the chorus in 1998. Jim has served the Northstars in director roles over the years as well: assistant, interim, and most recently co-director with Brandon. He holds degrees in Music Education and Mathmatics from Concordia Moorhead (singing under Paul Christiansen in the Concordia Choir) and directs the Heritage Lutheran Church Choir, a position he's held for over 30 years. When not pursuing music, Jim works as Software Reliability Engineer at Medtronic. |
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Past BOTYs are:
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| 2018 - Mark Roble 2017 - Lou Gottwalt 2016 - Grant Warning 2015 - Paul Willis 2014 - Larry Dean 2013 - Steve Hardy 2012 - Ron Bullard 2011 - Jym Hubble 2010 - Gordon Everest 2009 - Steve Zorn 2008 - Ron Neujahr 2007 - Doug Klemz 2006 - Jim Kramer 2005 - Ricky Chaddock |
2004 - Dennis Jacobson 2003 - John Barrett 2002 - Tom Heinke 2001 - Ed Jackson 2000 - Jim Lee 1999 - Mike Brama 1998 - Jim Olson 1997 - Dave Boyd 1996 - Ron Riley 1995 - Dennis Brown 1994 - Al Wachter 1993 - Don Nechodom 1992 - Ray Ensrud 1991 - Ron Young |
1990 - Rick Anderson 1989 - Herb Schauer 1988 - Ralph Erickson 1987 - Max Parks 1986 - Darwin Jones 1985 - Bob DeLamartre 1984 - Duane Rygg 1983 - Loren Bentz 1982 - Gene Fisher 1981 - Ron Middlestaedt 1980 - Frank Goggins 1979 - Rod Jones 1978 - Dick Teeters 1977 - Bob Gabel |
1976 - Bernie Adams 1975 - Dick Gilstad /Gene Glaser 1974 - Stan Arndt 1973 - Bill Westerhoff 1972 - Ron Glaeser 1971 - Harry Straw 1969 - Carol Johanson 1968 - Night Howls quartet 1967 - Harry Cedarholm 1966 - John Walker 1965 - Ed Johnson 1964 - Cal Garley 1963 - Jack Gauthier 1962 - Fred Street |
