GQ Makes History as First All-Female Quartet to Win Barbershop Harmony Society's International Gold Medal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 5, 2026

 

GQ Makes History as First All-Female Quartet to Win Barbershop Harmony Society's International Gold Medal

Sunday Night Social also makes history as the first all-voices quartet to medal at International; more than 5,700 barbershoppers from seven countries filled St. Louis for the Society's 88th International Convention

Photo credit: Alex Sturgill

NASHVILLE, TN. — The Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) crowned GQ as its 2026 International Quartet Champion on Saturday night, marking the first time in the organization's 88-year history that an all-female quartet has won the title. The historic win capped a landmark week at the Society's International Convention, held June 28–July 5 at The Dome at America’s Center, which drew more than 5,700 attendees representing eight countries.

GQ — which formed in college a decade ago as a “Girls Quartet” — earned gold with a score of 93.4%, topping a field of 52 quartets from around the world in the Society's International Quartet Contest. The quartet is composed of Amanda Sandroni (tenor), Katie Gillis (lead/bari), Ali Hauger (lead/bari), and Samantha Tramack (bass). Across three rounds, GQ performed six songs spanning Broadway, pop, and Americana, distinguished by their tight tuning, rich vocal texture, and high-energy stage presence.

 

Founded in 1938 as an all-male organization, BHS opened its membership to all people in 2018 under a new strategic vision, Everyone in Harmony. The first non-male quartets competed at the International level in 2022, the same year GQ placed fourth; the quartet placed fifth in 2025 before claiming the top prize this year in St. Louis.

 

The 2026 contest delivered a second milestone alongside GQ's win: Sunday Night Social, a mixed-gender “All Voices” quartet from the Rocky Mountain District, finished fifth with a score of 6,544 points (90.9%) — the first time a mixed-voice quartet has medaled in the Society's International Quartet Contest. Sunday Night Social's members are Ashley Wigginton, Tim Brooks, Seth Fetzer, and Tyler Wigginton.

 

“This was a historic night for the Barbershop Harmony Society. GQ earned this championship the same way every champion has — through years of work and outstanding performances. We're glad the record now reflects what our membership already looks like: singers of every voice, competing at the highest level, said Barbershop Harmony Society CEO Robert Rund.

 

The five full finishers in the 2026 International Quartet Contest were: GQ (93.4%), Gimme Four (93.1%), Full Effect (92.3%), First Take (91.0%), and Sunday Night Social (90.9%).

 

Beyond the contest stage, the 2026 International Convention brought a full week of programming to downtown St. Louis, including public performances throughout the city. Additional contests included chorus finals and youth and next-generation programs. More than 5,700 attendees from seven countries attended — among the best-attended conventions in recent years. The Society's next International Convention will be held July 4–11, 2027, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

Links to video assets:

• GQ - Quartet Winner
• Ambassadors of Harmony - Chorus Winner
• Gateway - NextGen Varstity Quartet Contest Winner

 

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About: The Barbershop Harmony Society (www.barbershop.org) is a nonprofit leader in community singing and adult music education, and a global community of singers of all voices, ages, and backgrounds united by a shared passion for a cappella close-harmony singing. Founded in 1938 as the Society for Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America (S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A.), the Society has grown to more than 14,000 members across North America, with allied organizations in more than a dozen countries bringing the total number of active singers to more than 70,000 worldwide. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, the Society preserves and extends the reach of this uniquely American musical art form — whose roots lie in African American improvisational harmony — through active programs in music education, publishing, performance, and outreach. It hosts an annual International Convention and Contest, operates Harmony University, and supports a worldwide network of choruses and quartets, working broadly to bring the fellowship, fulfillment, and excitement of vocal music to a new generation of singers.

 

Follow the Barbershop Harmony Society on Facebook (facebook.com/barbershopharmonysociety).

 

Media Contact

Michele Lee Niec, Director of Marketing & Communication

Barbershop Harmony Society

110 7th Ave N., Nashville, TN 37203

(615) 516-2771 | mniec@barbershop.org / marketing@barbershop.org