Director of the Garden City City Chorus
George Kasarjian, Musical Director.
Originally from Berkeley, California, George enjoyed a long and varied career as a classical singer, having sung at such venues as Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. During his 21 years living in New York City, he performed as a tenor and countertenor in opera and oratorio throughout the US, as well as in Germany, Italy, and Hungary. George also has extensive experience in choral music, having performed with several notable churches, synagogues, and orchestras as a soloist and choral contractor. For several years, he was a tenor soloist and section leader at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where he had the great honor of singing for both Pope Benedict and Pope Francis.
In 2018, George and his lovely wife Kristen Lamb Kasarjian – also an accomplished singer and North Augusta native – and their whirlwind children Phoebe and Leo moved to North Augusta. George and Kristen continue to sing classical works in various venues in Augusta. They are soloists and section leaders at the historic St. Paul's Church in Downtown Augusta, were featured soloists in Handel's Messiah with the Augusta Choral Society, and maintain a private voice and piano teaching studio.
In 2019, George began his barbershop journey and joined the Garden City Chorus. He performed with chapter quartets Borderline, Fourmidable, and now the new Southern Blend. He has enjoyed sharing his knowledge of vocal craft and musicianship with the group. He became GCC’s Assistant Director in 2021, and in 2024 he had the honor of being named as its Musical Director following John Phillips' retirement.
However, this journey has been a ‘re-education’ of sorts, as George has had to learn authentic barbershop vocalism, style, and musicality. In the summer of 2025, the GCC sponsored him to attend the Directors College at Harmony University, a week-long intensive held at the University of Denver, where he was coached and inspired by barbershop greats, met new friends and colleagues, and sang tags until dawn! It is now his privilege to pass this experience back to GCC.
In 2025, George directed the GCC at the BHS Southeastern Harmony District chorus competition in Knoxville, where the group earned the Most Improved Chorus award! 2025 also marked George’s first opportunity to conceive, write, and direct an annual GCC show. Barbershop Fever: Sounds of the ‘70s was well received and a ton of fun to produce and perform! George looks forward to sharing the gifts of singing and harmony with our community, growing the ranks of the chorus and continuing its competitive successes, and producing more innovative and entertaining shows in the coming years!
