Les Rowsey - Director
Les Rowsey is the Director of Music for the West Michigan Community Chorale. He also currently teaches voice lessons to adults and high school students within the greater community of Grandville and Jenison. Les is having a wonderful time participating in “Re-FIREment,” adjudicating Michigan School Vocal Music Association (MSVMA) festivals and is a vocal clinician for numerous MSVMA member schools.
Previously, he taught forty years in the public schools, the last thirty in the Jenison Public Schools system, both at Jenison Junior and Senior High Schools. While there, he taught and directed two mixed choirs, two women’s choirs, and a men’s choir. He also led another extra-curricular mixed choir, a predominantly a cappella men’s ensemble and operated an active voice studio of young men and adults.
During Les’ teaching career, his choirs, ensembles, and soloists received numerous first division ratings at District and State Festivals. His groups appeared at conferences and conventions on eight occasions, and the Chamber Singers were invited to perform at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival (MYAF) twenty-one times, most recently in the spring of 2016 at the MYAF Opening Gala.
An active member of the MSVMA, Les has adjudicated competitions, twice served as District Manager, hosted numerous District and State events, and directed State Honors Choirs in 1991, 2000, 2001 and 2012. In academic year 1991-1992, he was honored both to be awarded the Jenison Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year, as well as be chosen as a State Board of Education Finalist for Michigan’s Teacher of the Year. He was named MSVMA Teacher of the Year in 2000 and, in 2013, received the Western Michigan University Pioneer Music Educator Award for teaching excellence.
Les received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Olivet Nazarene College in 1977 and his Masters in Choral Conducting from Western Michigan University in 1985. He continues to attend conventions, clinics, and workshops, as he seeks to constantly hone his skills and support choral art. He is a life member of The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and an MSVMA Emeritus member.
Prior to his tenure at Jenison Public Schools, Les also taught in the Benton Harbor and Portage public school systems. He has served on the music faculties of Western Michigan University and Cornerstone University. He resides in Jenison with his wife, Karen, and their four adult children and grandchildren remain in the Greater Grand Rapids area.
Matt Kortman - Assistant Director
Matt Kortman has been a part of the West Michigan Community Chorale (formerly known as the Jenison Parent & Alumni Choir) since its inception. He currently serves as the Assistant Director. Having grown up in a talented musical family that included two church organists and a church choir director, Matt graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education from Dordt College, in Sioux Center, Iowa, in 1996.
At Dordt, he sang bass with the Chorale, Concert Choir, and Kantorei vocal ensembles under the direction of Dale Grotenhuis and Benjamin Kornelis. From 1998-2000, he toured part-time with Our Family Album, a musical dramatization of the history of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. Matt directed the choir at Bethel CRC in Edgerton, Minnesota, while teaching at the local Christian school from 1996-1999.
Upon moving to Jenison in 2004, Matt joined the choir at Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church, which was then directed by Dale Grotenhuis. He served as substitute Director on several occasions until Grotenhuis’ retirement in 2012, at which point Matt assumed the role of Director.
For his “day job,” Matt manages inventory and marketing at TerryTown RV Superstore, where he has worked full-time since 1999. He and his wife have four sons, one of whom sang with WMCC before moving away to college. The family keeps busy with sports, camping, and church activities.
Grace Malley - Accompanist
Grace Malley began accompanying the West Michigan Community Chorale in the 2022-2023 season. She has been studying piano since she was five years old and began taking advanced piano and violin lessons in high school.
She plays piano at Diamond Springs Wesleyan Church, accompanies a middle school choir at West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts, has accompanied on piano for the Homeschool Performing Arts, and has enjoyed performing and accompanying at several Solo and Ensemble events. She loves teaching music and has been excited to take on piano students over the past few years.
Grace has been impacted by listening to and participating in worship through classical and church music and is thrilled to have the chance to gain new experience and share the gift of music with WMCC.
2024-2025 Chorale Officers and Board Members
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Macaluso, Deb | President |
| Merrill, Ashleigh | Vice President |
| Roossien, Shelley | Secretary |
| Snoek, Carol | Treasurer / Librarian |
| Rowsey, Les | Director / Ex Officio |
| Allen, Glenn S, II | At Large |
| Blanco, Esther | At Large |
| Bolhuis, Julie Ann | At Large |
| Hardman, Jim | At Large |
| Knauss, Penny | At Large |
| Rowsey, Karen | At Large |
| Vogelar, Kris | At Large |