Elaine Gain
Elaine Gain has been with the Sweet Adelines Region 16 Greater Kingston Chorus for almost 30 years and has been Musical Director for 25 seasons. She earned the title Master Director with Sweet Adelines International for the high level of performance skills that the chorus has achieved at regional and international competitions over the years. Her main goal is to strive for excellence in delivering an entertaining musical product while training ordinary singers to do extraordinary performances.
A country girl at heart, Elaine spent her childhood north of Kingston, Ontario. Starting at the age of 5, she studied music including piano with a family friend who was a musical mentor. Elaine's love, joy and language of music were born from this era.
Elaine continued her musical studies through to university, where she graduated from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario with a Bachelor's Degree with concentration in Music. She also studied piano and theory many years with the Toronto Conservatory of Music and is an Elementary Vocal Music Specialist.
For over 30 years, Elaine has taught music to elementary school children, having had choirs of 80 - 100 children each year.
For the past five years, Elaine has served as part of the Regional Management Team of Sweet Adelines Region 16 in the capacity of Directors' Coordinator, overseeing some 30 choruses.
Singing lead, arranging, and doing section-leading keep Elaine inspired. She has also had the pleasure of performing in many quartets over the years.
Elaine has led the Greater Kingston Chorus to two Regional Championships. This resulted in competing at the International level first in New Orleans and then Portland, Oregon in the fall of 2001 where the chorus placed 16th world-wide.
After many years of teaching elementary school, Elaine has retired which allows her more time to spend with her loving husband, daughters and grandchildren, and to pursue her love of music as Director, Sweet Adelines Greater Kingston Chorus.
Paula Allen
Paula Allen has been a member of Sweet Adelines Region 16 Greater Kingston Chorus since 1970. She became Assistant Director in 1972, then named Associate Director in 1987. Paula is committed to helping and coaching the chorus to achieve improved vocal production along with enhancing overall performance level.
Paula has sung since the age of 4 and at 6, sang on a television show in Edmonton, Alberta. Music continued to be present throughout high school and university, where she performed in several gigs, playing guitar and singing alone and in groups.
Paula graduated from Queen's University in 1970, majoring in Physiotherapy. The chorus has benefited from Paula's career as a Physiotherapist by promoting sensible posture and breathing techniques to the members.
On a Regional basis, Paula is a member of the Regional Music Faculty, which involves teaching at Regional educational events and chorus/quartet coaching.
Since Paula has been with the chorus, she has performed as a baritone for 10 years, then tenor for the next 20, then returned to baritone most recently in 2000 when she became part of a quartet, "Diamond Jazz". The Quartet sang their way to 15th place on the international stage in Portland, Oregon in 2001 and again in Nashville in 2002.
Awards presented to Paula over the years include Regional Sweet Adeline of the year (1983) and Regional Assistant Director Award (1984). Paula went on to earn her status as a Certified Director in 1989. Her most recent Regional award was the Nancy Field Leadership Excellence Award, presented in April 2003 in Syracuse, New York.
On top of her busy career and involvement with Sweet Adelines both locally and regionally, Paula has two grown sons, enjoys crafts and games and along with her husband Bill, finds time for camping, canoeing and golf.
Paula is proud to tell anyone who will listen that she plans to be with the chorus long into her 90's.
Nancy Watson
Nancy Watson became a Sweet Adeline in the fall of 1977. Over the years she has served the chorus administratively, musically and is a certified director.
Quarteting since 1992 has provided Nancy with lots of challenges, passion and fun! She is currently singing bass in “Here & Now!” quartet.
Nancy works as a veterinary technologist and part-time professor at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario. She married her high school sweetheart, Scott, in 1976 and they are very proud of their grown sons Ted, Kevin, and A.J.
Proud to be a member of the Greater Kingston Chorus, Nancy devotes a lot of time and effort to Sweet Adelines but she stands firm in the belief that the rewards far outweigh the demands.
