Les Rowsey - Director
Les Rowsey is the Director of Music for the West Michigan Community Chorale. He also 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 serving as a vocal clinician for various MSVMA member schools.
Les spent forty years teaching in public schools, with the last thirty years at Jenison Public Schools. He taught and directed two mixed choirs, two women’s choirs, and a men’s choir at Jenison Junior and Senior High Schools. Les also led an extracurricular mixed choir, a predominantly a cappella men’s ensemble, and operated a voice studio for young men and adults.
Throughout his career, Les’ choirs, ensembles, and soloists earned numerous first division ratings at District and State Festivals. His groups performed at conferences and conventions eight times, and the Chamber Singers were invited to perform at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival (MYAF) twenty-one times, most recently in 2016 at the MYAF Opening Gala.
Les is an active member of MSVMA, where he has adjudicated competitions, served as District Manager twice, hosted several District and State events, and directed State Honors Choirs in 1991, 2000, 2001, and 2012. He was named Jenison Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year in 1991-1992 and a State Board of Education Finalist for Michigan’s Teacher of the Year. He also received MSVMA Teacher of the Year honors in 2000 and the Western Michigan University Pioneer Music Educator Award for teaching excellence in 2013.
Les holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Olivet Nazarene College (1977) and a Master’s in Choral Conducting from Western Michigan University (1985). He continues to attend conventions and workshops to enhance his skills and support choral arts. Les is a life member of The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and an MSVMA Emeritus member.
Before teaching at Jenison Public Schools, Les taught in the Benton Harbor and Portage public school systems and served on the music faculties of Western Michigan University and Cornerstone University. He lives in Jenison with his wife, Karen, and their four adult children and grandchildren, who all remain in the Greater Grand Rapids area.
Matt Kortman - Assistant Director
Matt Kortman has been a member of the West Michigan Community Chorale (formerly the Jenison Parent & Alumni Choir) since its founding and currently serves as the Assistant Director. Growing up in a musical family with 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, Matt sang bass in the Chorale, Concert Choir, and Kantorei vocal ensembles under the direction of Dale Grotenhuis and Benjamin Kornelis. From 1998 to 2000, he toured part-time with Our Family Album, a musical dramatization of the history of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. He also directed the choir at Bethel CRC in Edgerton, Minnesota, while teaching at the local Christian school from 1996 to 1999.
In 2004, Matt moved to Jenison and joined the choir at Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church, where he served as a substitute director until 2012 when he became the church’s director following Dale Grotenhuis’ retirement.
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 going to college. Outside of work, the family enjoys sports, camping, and church activities.
Grace Malley - Accompanist
Grace Malley joined the West Michigan Community Chorale as an accompanist for the 2022-2023 season. She began studying piano at age five and started advanced piano and violin lessons in high school.
Grace plays piano at Diamond Springs Wesleyan Church and accompanies a middle school choir at West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts. She has also accompanied at Solo and Ensemble events and enjoys teaching piano to students.
Inspired by classical and church music, Grace is excited 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 |