Musical Bios and Background Information

Emma Harris, lead

Born and raised in St. Louis, Emma Harris began her singing career early. She was an accomplished vocalist in her school choirs while growing up and upon entering high school, she was chosen as a select member of the chamber choir. She holds the unprecedented honor of being the first student from her high school to be chosen for the All-State-Choir. While a member of the All-State-Choir, she was awarded six honor 1 ratings for ensemble and solo competitions at All-State and All-State-District. She was a member of the St. Louis Harmony Chorus during her first year of college until school commitments became a priority. Aside from singing, she also plays the clarinet.

Presently, Emma is pursuing a major in vocal performance at the University of Missouri in St. Louis, Mo. She keeps her voice strong by singing with the University Singers and Vocal Point, a select ensemble directed by Dr. Jim Henry. She continues to spread the joy of song to young children as a rehearsal assistant with the St. Louis Children’s Choir; a position that she is impassioned about. You can also find her at the Cheesecake Factory in St. Louis, where she works part-time.

Lauren Robards, tenor

Lauren Robards also began her singing career at a very early age. At the wee age of three, she sang in the children’s choir at her church. From ages five to 10, she sang with the Children’s Community Choir and in the summer of 1998, aged 11, she commenced on a singing tour to Norway, Sweden and Denmark with the St. Louis Symphony Children’s Choirs. She has also performed at Carnegie Hall. During high school and after graduating, she sang with the St. Louis Metro singers and also at Millikin University and Lindenwood University.

At present, Lauren is an active member of the St. Louis Harmony Chorus, which she joined in the summer of 2004 as a front row baritone. She held several positions with the chorus including tenor group leader, makeup chair and meetings and conventions co-coordinator. Within the year she had made the transformation from baritone to tenor in the quartet Stiletto, just five weeks before regional competition. She is also the Young Women in Harmony representative to Region 5. Lauren can be found at Spilker Chiropractic where she works as the office manager.

Ellie Mills, bass

Ellie Mills, who hails from Nottingham, England, also began her career in music at an early age, being taught to read music and play the recorder at the tender age of three by her mum. She began practicing the flute at age 11, and by age 15 was an accomplished flautist by with the Nottingham Youth Orchestra and other such ensembles. In 1996, at 12 years old, she joined Baby Barbies, one of the most successful music ensembles at her school in England. The chorus was under the direction of Glenn Chaney, her chemistry teacher, who would go on to direct UK’s 2005 and 2006 Champion Chorus, Lace City Singers, which Ellie joined in 1999.

Soon after, she quickly recruited her mum and sister as chorus members. While a member, she served as music team leader and section leader for the chorus. Within the year, Ellie had formed her own quartet In the Spotlight, and in 1999 at age 14, they were awarded the silver medal in their first ever IES Rising Star Contest. This was a remarkable and memorable event due to the fact that a UK quartet had never earned a medal at an international barbershop competition. Her YWIH quartet PURE INNOCENCE placed 4th at regional competition in 2003 and in 2005 they placed 5th.

After graduating in 2006 from the University of Durham with a Bachelors of Science degree in Geography and Environmental Management, she has finished a 13-month internship with the Planning Department at the City of Chesterfield and will return home to the United Kingdom in the fall, immediately following International Convention in Calgary.

Casey Bazzell, baritone

While she may be new to the world of barbershop, Casey Bazzell does not lack experience or talent. Before she was able to speak, she could easily sing the alphabet. Though she has never been a member of an established chorus or quartet, she sang with the Missouri State Choir during high school and in college, advanced to Lindenwood’s esteemed Voices Only group in college.

Each December, you can find Casey performing in the Old St. Charles Christmas festivities and in the summers at Six Flags in St. Louis where she is a seasoned entertainer. She plans to attend Cal Arts in Los Angeles, Calif., in the spring where she hopes to complete her major in music theatre and Anthropology, as well as pursue a minor in Spanish.

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