Instant Classic
Instant Classic
2015 International Champion
Instant Classic is a barbershop quartet comprised of 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.
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 were recognized in the Cardinal District as Quartet of the Year in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2017, and 2020, and inducted into the Cardinal District Hall of Fame in 2023.
The group has performed all over the world, including the United States, Canada, Sweden, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. 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 five albums – Instant Classic; Instant Classic: Start of Something Big!; Instant Classic: Simple Gifts; Instant Classic: An Icy Holiday EP, and Instant Classic: A Cozy Holiday. You can purchase digital or hard copies of the albums directly from their website or find their music through online music stores such as iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Play.
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.
2015 International Championship
Winning Members
David Zimmerman
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 (davidpzimmerman.com). Having graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education, he has taught in the 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 wife, Laura.
Quartet Championships
| Name | Year | Part |
|---|---|---|
| Instant Classic | 2015 | Tenor |
Theo Hicks
Theodore (Theo) Hicks is the Director of Choral Activities and Choral Music Education Specialist at Anderson University. He is the conductor of the Anderson University Chorale and Vox Corvi (“Voice of the Raven”). He is also on the voice faculty, teaching private voice lessons, choral conducting classes, aural comprehension, and secondary choral methods.
Theo is an active clinician and guest speaker, having taught conducting, voice, and vocal health to organizations and vocal ensembles around the world, including Barbershop in Germany’s (BinG!) Harmony Academy in 2019, Barbershop Harmony Australia’s (BHA) Harmony Academy in 2018, and the British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) Directors Academy in 2024 and 2015. He has also served on the faculty of Harmony University (of the BHS) for several years in Nashville, TN.
As an active composer and arranger, Theo has written music for ensembles all over the world. Many of his arrangements have been premiered and performed by top choruses and quartets at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s (BHS) International Competitions. His arrangements are published by Hal Leonard, BHS, Sheet Music Plus, and Theo Hicks Music.
He holds active memberships in professional organizations with the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO), and the College Music Society (CMS). He currently serves on the Indiana Choral Directors Association (ICDA) board as the repertoire and resources chair for Men’s Choir and has presented numerous times at the Indiana Music Educators Association (IMEA) Conference and the ICDA Summer Conference. Circle City Sound was also a featured performer at the 2019 ICDA Summer Conference, and Instant Classic has been a featured performer at the 2017 IMEA Conference.
He lives in Pendleton, IN with his partner, Laura, and their two daughters.
DA, Choral Conducting & Voice Performance, Ball State University
MM, Choral Conducting, Ball State University
BM, Music Education, Anderson University
Quartet Championships
| Name | Year | Part |
|---|---|---|
| Instant Classic | 2015 | Lead |
