Artistic Leadership

Brandon Galbraith

Artistic and Musical Director

Brandon has been a GNU member since 2013, serving as a section leader and a front row performer before being named Associate Director in 2019. Brandon currently directs two other barbershop choruses: the Vallée de Croix Chorus of Stillwater and the North Star Chorus of St. Paul. Outside of the barbershop world, Brandon's musical resume includes performing with Hamline United Methodist Church, the Gethsemane Episcopal Church choir, the MPLS (imPulse) choir, the Minnesota Chorale, and Singers In Accord. He is also a singer in Mixed Meter Quartet. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education. Originally from Fort Atkinson, Wis., Brandon lives in Minneapolis and enjoys gaming, anime, golfing and Green Bay Packers in his free time.

Tyler Stromquist Levoir singing in sound booth

Tyler Stromquist-Levoir

Interim Associate Director

Tyler is thrilled to step into the role of Interim Associate Director of The Great Northern Union. Tyler has been an active member of the chorus for much of the last ten years, and has previously served as a member of the governing board, a member of the music team and as the membership coordinator. Tyler is also a member of Mixed Meter Quartet,. Tyler loves to empower individuals and groups to reach their highest potential musically and otherwise, and he is excited for the opportunity to contribute in new ways to that process for the members of the chorus and the chorus as a whole. Tyler works as the Office Administrator and Music/Tech Coordinator at Unity South Twin Cities in Bloomington, and is an active music educator and performer in the Twin Cities Metro as a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and songwriter. Tyler lives in Plymouth, MN with his wife Annalie (who sings in the chorus and serves on the music team) and their orange tabby cat Wesley.

Governing Board

Our governing board includes:

  • Colleen Cashen — President — Licensed psychologist

  • Chris Dart — Secretary — Software developer

  • Chris Hagen — Treasurer & Immediate Past President— Retired pastor

  • Nate Bash — Board member at large — Singer, actor, DJ, pro wrestler

  • Tamra Falk — Board member at large

  • Justin Fermenich — Board member at large — Project and process manager

  • Ex-officio:

    • Brandon Galbraith — Artistic Director

    • Tyler Stromquist-Levoir — Interim Associate Director

  • Our current 13-person leadership team (including Board, staff and key volunteers) includes four LGBTQUIA+ members, five with disabilities, four older adults, two who are not male identifying, and one who is BIPOC.  We are actively working to continue evolving. We recently amended our bylaws to add two community Board seats and are actively speaking with BIPOC and non-male identifying collaborators about those seats.  The artistic team is working on adding diverse coaches and musical arrangers to its ranks.