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 22 years, thirteen of which were at Abraham Lincoln High School, an Academic, Visual & Performing Arts Magnet.

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.

In the first two 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 local arts groups including The Choral Project, Santa Clara Chorale, San Jose State University choirs, and local schools. This year's collaborations include The Winchester Orchestra, and San Francisco State University Chamber Singers.

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.

Mr. De La Rosa's goal is for Silicon Valley residents to think of West Valley College FIRST when considering local schools for vocal music study.

 

 

Our Accompanist

Dr. John Randal Hawkins has appeared as piano soloist and accompanist in international music festivals, including the Spoleto (Charleston) and the Victoria (Canada) summer festivals. Mr. Hawkins enjoyed the privilege of representing the United States in the Queen Elizabeth of Belgium Competetion, the Busoni International and the Casagrande (Italy) Contest where he gained a Certificate of Merit in the final rounds. He has performed many of the major piano concertos with orchestras on the West and East Coast.

Before coming to West Valley College Music Department, Mr. Hawkins was on the faculty of the University of the Pacific, Stockton, as Visiting Lecturer in Piano. Mr. Hawkins studied at the Peabody Conservatory Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree. In addition to his duties as staff accompanist for voice majors and the choirs at West Valley College, Randy Hawkins is an active recitalist, and is the Director of Music at Los Gatos Methodist Church.