OHMA ’26 Staff Members- Benzin, Showers
Each Musicians Abroad tour is guided by an outstanding team of educators who bring leadership, experience and enthusiasm to every step of the journey. These dedicated professionals support students through rehearsals, performances and travel abroad, ensuring each participant has a meaningful and unforgettable experience.
Brett Benzin
Brett Benzin serves as director of bands at Berea-Midpark HS in Berea, OH. He previously taught for seven years in the Keystone Local School District in LaGrange, OH, after four years as band director in the Northeastern (Tinora) Local School District in Defiance, OH.
Benzin earned a Bachelor of Music in music education in 2011 and a Master of Music in 2024, both from Bowling Green State University. His ensembles have consistently participated at the state level for large-group adjudicated events.
In 2014, he received the Outstanding Potential Award from the American School Band Directors Association and was inducted into the organization in 2016. In 2018, he was named Educator of the Year in the Keystone Local School District. He received the Ohio Music Education Association’s Outstanding Young Educator award in 2019.
Benzin is active in OMEA and served as OMEA District 4 president from 2019 to 2022.
Kirsten Showers
Kirsten Showers is an accomplished educator and musician with more than 26 years of experience teaching at Wayne HS in Huber Heights, OH. She earned her undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State University and pursued graduate studies at Miami University in Ohio.
In addition to her work in the classroom, Showers remains an active performer, playing horn with the Sinclair Community College Community Wind Symphony and the Springboro Wind Symphony. Throughout her career, she has performed with the United States Military Academy Band at West Point and with the Springboro Wind Symphony at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago.
Showers’ contributions to music education and performance continue to inspire students and audiences alike as she enters her 27th year at Wayne HS.
