Our Director

Lou and his Disneyland "brick," courtesy of the 2002 Lincoln High School Concert Choir

Lou De La Rosa is the Director of Choral Activities at West Valley College where he conducts the Chamber Singers and the West Valley Masterworks Chorale. He has taught music in San Jose for 24 years, thirteen of which were at Abraham Lincoln High School, an Academic, Visual & Performing Arts Magnet. He was twice named Teacher of the Year, in 1991 at Pioneer High School and in 2002 at Lincoln High School, and was awarded the Outstanding Teacher Award by the Lincoln Foundation in 2002.

Mr. De La Rosa received his BA Music in Voice (1983) and MA Music in Choral Conducting (1990) from San Jose State University where he studied conducting with Dr. Charlene Archibeque and Dr. Ken Hannaford, and voice with Charlene Chadwick and Jeanne Garson.

Under the direction of Lou De La Rosa, the Lincoln High School Chamber Chorale and Concert Choir performed in choral festivals and competitions throughout the nation. In April 2000, the Chamber Chorale performed a concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts which was broadcast worldwide on the internet. In 2001, both Chamber Chorale and Concert Choir performed in the Gateway Music Festival in Orlando, Florida, where both choirs won the Grand Champion Festival Sweepstakes Award in their category from over 250 schools from throughout the nation.

Recognized as one of the best high school choirs in the state of California, the Lincoln Chamber Chorale was invited in 2001 to perform in the Golden State Choral Competition where they placed eighth. The Lincoln Concert Choir subsequently surpassed that mark to place fourth in the 2002 Golden State Choral Competition.

In the first four years under his leadership, members of the West Valley choirs have travelled to San Francisco, San Diego, and to Salzburg, Vienna and Prague. The choirs have collaborated in concert with several arts groups including The Choral Project, Santa Clara Chorale, San Jose State University Choraliers, Symphony Silicon Valley Chorale (previously SJSU Chorale), San Francisco State University Chamber Singers, The Winchester Orchestra, and internationally acclaimed The Australian Voices. In June 2009, members of the West Valley choirs will perform Vivaldi's Gloria in New York's legendary Carnegie Hall.

Mr. De La Rosa's goal is for Silicon Valley residents to think of West Valley College FIRST when considering schools for vocal music study whether as music education or music performance majors in opera or musical theater.