Female Barbershop Quartet Wins First in 88-Year History

For the first time in nearly nine decades, a women's quartet stood at the top of the barbershop world on Independence Day.

GQ, a four-woman harmony group featuring Baltimore County teachers Ali Hauger and Amanda Sandroni, claimed the Barbershop Harmony Society's International Quartet Contest championship on July 4 in St. Louis. They beat 51 other quartets from around the world in the organization's 88-year history.

Hauger teaches kindergarten at Colgate Elementary School, while Sandroni directs vocal music at Chapel Hill Elementary School. They're joined by Katie Gillis, a professional singer who also works as a farmer and potter, and Samantha Tramack, a Virginia music teacher.

The win didn't happen overnight. GQ placed fourth in 2022 during the first international competition open to non-male competitors, then fifth in 2025 before claiming this year's crown.

Their championship performance spanned six songs across three rounds, mixing Broadway tunes with pop, Americana, and other genres. The Barbershop Harmony Society praised their "impeccable tuning, rich texture, and passionate presentation."

The historic moment stems from a relatively recent change. Founded in 1938 as an all-male organization, the Barbershop Harmony Society opened membership to all singers in 2018, making this breakthrough possible just eight years later.

The Ripple Effect

The Maryland music community celebrated multiple wins that weekend. Parkside Harmony, a chorus directed by Amanda's husband Vince Sandroni, placed fifth in the International Chorus Contest.

Both Sandronis are Baltimore County products themselves. Vince graduated from Parkville High School and now teaches music at Cockeysville Middle School, while Ali Hauger graduated from Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts.

Their victory shows what happens when barriers fall and talent gets its chance to shine.