Artistic Director Paula Hawkins

Paula Hawkins is conductor of the SilverSounds Northwest chorus. Ms. Hawkins has been a highly respected music educator for many years. A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University’s School of Music, she served as facilitator of fine arts in the Highline School District for 12 years and has taught music to young children since 1970.

She has been active in the local arts community as a co-founder of the Burien Coalition for the Arts and was a frequent presenter at Washington Music Educators Association events. Paula was inducted into the Washington Music Educators Association Hall of Fame in 2004 for her outstanding musicianship, dedication, and leadership. Paula has also been the director of the Southminster Presbyterian Handbell Choir since 2003.

Paula helped to shape the Youth Choral Education Program (YCEP) within NWAA when she directed the youngest of the choruses in 2003, then called CSN Children’s Chorus, for singers in grades 3-5. Within a year, the tremendous success of the Children’s Chorus led to the formation of the CSN Youth Chorus for singers in grades 6-8. Eventually a teen group for grades 9-12 was added to NWAA’s three youth choruses.

In 2010 Paula developed a senior choir for those young at heart who enjoy singing, dancing, humorous narration, and hi-jinks in their concerts. Their motto is “You are never too old to rock and roll!”