Our Co-Directors
Karen Breidert
Director
Karen is a popular coach and teacher within Sweet Adelines International. She has achieved the level of "Master Faculty" and "Master Director", and was the 2015 recipient of Sweet Adelines' Lifetime Achievement Award.
Karen has directed 3 choruses, ranking in the finals several times. During her first tenure with Spirit, she directed the chorus to win the coveted "Most Entertaining Chorus Award" three times – an international chorus record.
She has won 9 Sweet Adelines Iinternational quartet medals - including the championship with Jubilation in 1985 and with The BUZZ in 2005. Karen was International President of Sweet Adelines International from 1998 - 1999. Karen has a Bachelor's Degree in Education and Foreign Language and a Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling. She lives in Jacksonville FL on the beautiful St. John's River with her husband Bob - also a barbershop quartet finalist. Since she began singing at age four with her family's professional singing group, The Drummond Family Singers, music has truly been in Karen's heart and soul for all of her life.
Karen has directed 3 choruses, ranking in the finals several times. During her first tenure with Spirit, she directed the chorus to win the coveted "Most Entertaining Chorus Award" three times – an international chorus record.
She has won 9 Sweet Adelines Iinternational quartet medals - including the championship with Jubilation in 1985 and with The BUZZ in 2005. Karen was International President of Sweet Adelines International from 1998 - 1999. Karen has a Bachelor's Degree in Education and Foreign Language and a Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling. She lives in Jacksonville FL on the beautiful St. John's River with her husband Bob - also a barbershop quartet finalist. Since she began singing at age four with her family's professional singing group, The Drummond Family Singers, music has truly been in Karen's heart and soul for all of her life.
Deanna "DeeDee" Kastler
Director
Deanna, or DeeDee as she is better known, joined Spirit of the Gulf as a full-time director in March 2017, taking on co-directing responsibilities before becoming full-time director, and ultimately co-director with Karen Breidert. DeeDee served as Associate Director for eight years before that. She was also appointed to the Sweet Adelines International Music Faculty in April 2017.
DeeDee is the Baritone of the quartet Sirens! who are the current 3rd place Sweet Adelines International finalists. She was also the baritone of the quartet Bling! — 2015 Sweet Adelines International Champion Quartet.
DeeDee, who lives in Plantation, FL, is married to James Kastler, director of South Florida Jubilee Chorus, and has two boys. She is a music educator at Cooper City Elementary School in the Broward County School District.
Director
Deanna, or DeeDee as she is better known, joined Spirit of the Gulf as a full-time director in March 2017, taking on co-directing responsibilities before becoming full-time director, and ultimately co-director with Karen Breidert. DeeDee served as Associate Director for eight years before that. She was also appointed to the Sweet Adelines International Music Faculty in April 2017.
DeeDee is the Baritone of the quartet Sirens! who are the current 3rd place Sweet Adelines International finalists. She was also the baritone of the quartet Bling! — 2015 Sweet Adelines International Champion Quartet.
DeeDee, who lives in Plantation, FL, is married to James Kastler, director of South Florida Jubilee Chorus, and has two boys. She is a music educator at Cooper City Elementary School in the Broward County School District.
.jpg "International Chorus and Quartet Medalists")
