Rate My Professor Lou De La Rosa

Lou De La Rosa serves as Director of Choral and Vocal Studies and Chairman of the Performing Arts Department at the Cilker School of Art & Design, West Valley College, part of the West Valley-Mission Community College District. Within the Arts and Culture faculty, he has taught music in the San José area for over 40 years, including 13 years at Abraham Lincoln High School, a performing arts magnet school. Under his leadership, West Valley College choirs have performed throughout the United States and Europe, winning first place in choral competitions across the United States. De La Rosa conducts numerous festival and honor choirs throughout California and Nevada. He has guest conducted several local choirs, including the San José State University Choraliers in a 2013 concert with The Rolling Stones. Additionally, he teaches a wide range of courses both online and face-to-face, such as Music History (MUSC 001), Fundamentals of Music (MUSC 005), Music Appreciation (MUSC 010), World Music (MUSC 055), Music Theory Levels 1 and 2 (MUSC 003A and 003B), Musicianship Levels 1 and 2 (MUSC 020A and 020B), Chamber Singers (MUSC 040), and Concert Choir (MUSC 042).

In April 2015, Lou De La Rosa prepared the Symphony Silicon Valley Chorale for the West Coast premiere of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy musical soundtrack, with 250 musicians performing alongside live projections of the films in two cycles over four days. He served as President of the California chapter of the American Choral Directors Association from 2015 to 2017, overseeing the streamlining of operations and finances and founding the California Choral Directors Association, a 501c3 corporation. As Past President of the Western Region of the American Choral Directors Association, he organized and hosted a four-day music conference in Long Beach in March 2022, featuring over 1000 performers and 600 attendees. De La Rosa has served on the board of directors of multiple professional organizations. His career highlights include Teacher of the Year awards for his schools in 1991 and 2002, two Faculty Excellence Awards from the West Valley College Academic Senate in 2010, and the 2021 Medal of Honor from the California All-State Music Education Conference for dedication to music education in California.