Faculty & Staff

Part-time

	Lynn Asper Trumpet				email
	Lynn K. Asper, Calvin’s trumpet instructor, has been teaching the trumpet at the high school and collegiate level for over 40 years. A native of South Bend, Indiana, Lynn holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Ball State University and a Master of Music Education from Michigan State University. He has teaching experience at Ottawa Hills High School, Grand Rapids Community College, and he spent twenty-four years as the conductor of the Kent Philharmonia Orchestra. Mr. Asper has published two books about trumpet technique: A Physical Approach to Playing the Trumpet, and A Mouthpiece Buzzing Routine for Trumpet. Mr. Asper has performed frequently around the West Michigan area as a Trumpet Soloist, and a member of The WaveSong Jazz Trio, The WaveSong Big Band, The Kent Brass and the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra.
	Carlos de la Barrera Guitar				email website
	Carlos de la Barrera teaches guitar at Calvin College. A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, he holds an MM in Classical Guitar Performance from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. His extensive South American performances include solo recitals throughout Latin America and the United States. Mr. de la Barrera's recent concerts as a soloist with orchestra include performance with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, the Holland Symphony Orchestra, and the Andrews Symphony Orchestra. In addition to teaching at Calvin, Mr. de la Barrera maintains a private studio and teaches at Grand Valley State University.
	Jan Bays Accompanist				email
	Jan Bays is a vocal coach and accompanist for several voice studios at Calvin as well as accompanist for the Men’s Chorale. A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Jan also studied accompanying and vocal coaching with Eugene Bossert at the University of Michigan. She has been a vocal coach and accompanist at Grand Valley State University and plays regularly at Madison Square Christian Reformed Church.
	Matthew Beck Percussion				email
	Matthew Beck currently serves as Principal Percussionist with the Canton Symphony Orchestra in Ohio, and the West Shore Symphony in Muskegon, MI. He also appears regularly with the Grand Rapids Symphony. Mr. Beck received his B.M. from the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of Richard Weiner and Paul Yancich of the Cleveland Orchestra, and he graduated with a M.M. from DePaul University as a student of Ted Atkatz from the Chicago Symphony. He has spent his summers performing at many of the world's great music festivals including the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, Pacific Music Festival (Japan), and the Spoleto USA Festival. Mr. Beck was previously Instructor of Preparatory Percussion at the Cleveland Institute of Music and a percussion faculty member at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
	Richard Britsch French Horn				email
	Richard Britsch teaches French Horn at Calvin College. Formerly with the Florida Orchestra and the Southwest Florida Symphony, he has appeared as soloist numerous times with the Grand Rapids Symphony and the Peninsula Music Festival of Wisconsin, both of which he has been Principal Horn since 1990 and 1992, respectively. He performs regularly with the Detroit Symphony and has performed as Principal Horn with the Milwaukee Symphony. He is a founding member of the Emerald Brass, which was the first prize winner of both the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition and the Yamaha/Summit Brass International Brass Competition in 1990. He holds a BA from the University of South Florida in Tampa and participated in such festivals as the Florida Music Festival and the American Institute of Musical Studies in Austria. In addition to teaching at Calvin, Mr. Britsch also teaches at Cornerstone University and Grand Rapids Community College and is a member of Beyond Classical and Ensemble Montage, two music groups dedicated to introducing great music to new audiences.
	Jill Marie Brown Flute, Flute Choir Director				email
	Jill Brown teaches flute and directs the Flute Choir at Calvin College. She holds a bachelor's degree from Calvin College, where she majored in Music Education and flute performance, and a MM from the University of Michigan. Her past instructors include Darlene Dugan and Judy Bentley. Ms. Brown has been a member of the West Shore Symphony for 21 years, and is a substitute in the Grand Rapids Symphony. She has also performed in various Master Classes, including Julius Baker, Jeanne Baxtresser (principal flutes in New York Philharmonic), and Jeffrey Khaner (Cleveland principal).
	Dwight Burch Tuba				email
	Dwight (Monty) Burch joined the Grand Rapids Symphony as principal tuba in 1978. Prior to his appointment in Grand Rapids, he held similar positions with the Oak Park Symphony and the Elmhurst Symphony. Mr. Burch received his Bachelor's degree in music from North Texas State University and earned a Master's degree from the California State University at Fresno. His principal teachers include Roger Bobo of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Arnold Jacobs of the Chicago Symphony, with whom he has studied privately since 1973.
	Elizabeth Colpean Harp				email
	Elizabeth Colpean has been Principal Harpist in the Grand Rapids Symphony since 2000. She has participated in a number of international music festivals including, The Pacific Music Festival, The National Repertory Orchestra, The Tanglewood Music Festival and the Seventh World Harp Congress in Prague, Czech Republic. Her principal teachers include Alice Chalifoux and Susan Dederich-Pejovich. Ms. Wooster holds degrees from Southern Methodist University and The Cleveland Institute of Music. In addition to her demanding orchestral schedule, she is a member of Duo Derazey, and Trio Neaveau, and is active in solo engagements.
	Joseph Conyers String Bass				email
	Joseph Conyers is the Principal Bassist with the Grand Rapids Symphony. He graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Harold Robinson and Edgar Meyer. He has performed as a soloist with the Flagstaff, Alabama and Savannah Symphonies as well as making an appearance on National Public Radio’s “From the Top” showcase. Mr. Conyers has performed at several of the elite summer music festivals, including Aspen and Tanglewood, and has performed in the Boston, Minnesota and Haddonfield Symphony Orchestras.
	Barbara Corbato Viola				email
	Barbara Corbato is currently the Assistant Principal Viola of the Grand Rapids Symphony, where she has performed since 1990. In addition, she is an active chamber musician, performing with the Perugino String Quartet. In addition to teaching viola at Calvin College, Ms. Corbato teaches at Hope College and through her home studio. She has performed with the New World Symphony, Spoleto Festival of South Carolina and Italy, and the orchestras of Columbus, Flint, and Saginaw. Also, she has participated in music festivals in Saugatuck, Santa Barbara, Aspen and Keystone, Colorado. She received Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Michigan, where her principal teachers included Donald McInnes and Yizhak Schotten.
	Tim De Young Bassoon				email
	Tim De Young teaches bassoon at Calvin College. Tim also teaches middle and high school band and orchestra in the Grand Rapids Public Schools, and has eight years of K-12 teaching experience, with five years as an instrumental music teacher in grades 6-12. Tim De Young received his Bachelor of Music, Instrumental Music Education form the University of Michigan.
	Kathy Gomez Oboe				email
	Kathleen Gomez has been a member of the Grand Rapids Symphony since 1981. She teaches at Calvin College and Grand Rapids Community College. Got a BS at the University of WI-LaCrosse in K-12 instrumental music education and a MM from the University of MI-Ann Arbor in woodwind instruments. Has performed in many orchestras including the Chicago Symphony.
	Linda Hoisington Piano, Staff Accompanist				email
	Linda Hoisington is the staff accompanist at Calvin College, where she also teaches private piano lessons. She holds a BM and MM from the University of Wisconsin, and previously taught at Wheaton College. Linda is an active collaborative pianist and teacher, accompanying the Bach Chorale and participating in publisher's recording sessions.
	Trudi Huizenga Voice				email
	Trudi Huizenga is an emerita teacher at Calvin College where she taught voice, theory and music history. She continues to teach voice at the college. She holds a masters degree in musicology from Ohio State University and a Ph.D. in music with an emphasis in voice from Michigan State University. She also is a certified McClosky Voice Technician and is interested in vocal rehabilitation. She has sung as a soloist with the Michigan State University Choral Union, the Calvin Orchestra and the Calvin Alumni Choir. Dr. Huizenga has sung numerous recitals and enjoys serving as soloist in local church services.
	Karen Krummel Cello				email
	Karen Krummel has been a full-time member of the Grand Rapids Symphony since 1989 and has taught cello at Calvin College since 1995. Her teachers included Samuel Mayes, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, and Louis Potter, and she participated in summer festivals at Aspen, Banff, and Tanglewood. Besides her strong orchestral background, she is active as a chamber musician, and she has performed and premiered many contemporary works. Karen soloed with the Calvin Alumni Orchestra in 2000.
	Eun Lee Accompanist
	Eun Kyung Lee holds a BA and MA in piano performance from Ewha Women’s University in Seoul, Korea. She also completed a course from the Bartok Music Institute in Hungary. She has performed several distinguished recitals, including one at the nationally-renown Se-Jong Cultural Center and performances with the Choong-Nam Symphony Orchestra. Her teaching experience includes six years at Chun-Nam National University and Hoshin University. Currently, she serves as an accompanist for the Calvin College Music Department.
	Norma Malefyt Piano, Organ				email
	Norma de Waal Malefyt teaches piano and organ at Calvin College. A Calvin alumna, she has an AB in organ performance and education. Norma is a Resource Development Specialist for the Calvin Worship Institute, and she plays organ and directs the handbell choir at Hillcrest CRC in Hudsonville.
	Dan Mattson Trombone				email
	Dan Mattson teaches trombone at Calvin College. Dan is a graduate of Michigan State University, and received both a Masters in Trombone Performance and Wind Conducting from Michigan State in 1996. He has taught at Michigan State, Western Michigan University, Hope College, Cornerstone University and the University of Michigan-Flint. Dan Has also performed with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, Western Brass Quintet, Alpenbrass, the Detroit Chamber Winds as well as numerous music festivals.
	Betty Mustert Piano				email
	Betty Mustert is a graduate of Calvin College and has been teaching piano at Calvin for over 20 years. She belongs to various musical organizations at the local, state, and national levels. These include St. Cecilia Music Society, Grand Rapids Piano Teachers Forum, Grand Rapids Musicians League, Michigan Music Teachers Association, Music Teachers National Association, and National Guild of Piano Teachers. In addition to teaching at Calvin, she has a private studio which includes children and adults.
	Alfrelynn Roberts Voice				email

	Calvin Stapert Music History				email

	Stacey Tanner Cello				email
	Stacey Tanner teaches cello at Calvin College. She regularly plays with the Grand Rapids Symphony, and she is the former principal cello of La Orquestra de San Luis in Argentina. Stacey, a member of the Perugino Quartet, has also studied chamber music at festivals in Switzerland, Utah, and Chautauqua, NY.
	Clinton Tolbert Gospel Choir Accompanist				email
	Clinton Tolbert has been accompanying for the Gospel Choir since 2000. He also plays keyboards with the Bethel Pentecostal Church Choir in Grand Rapids and was the accompanist and Instrumental Director for the vocal group Voices of Grace. With this group he opened concerts for artists such as Fred Hammond, Marvin Sapp, the Edwin Hawkins Singers, and Anointed. In addition to his musical talents, Clinton works as an Environmental Lab Technician for Smiths Aerospace in Grand Rapids.
	Dale Topp Music and Community				email
	Dale Topp continues to develop Interactive Music, his approach to inclusive music education. He does this especially in teaching one section of Music and Community each semester to undergraduate students from a wide variety of majors and also through his Interactive Music Webpage.
	Lavonne VandenBerg Piano				email
	Lavonne VandenBerg teaches piano at Calvin and also has a private piano studio. Ms. VandenBerg is a graduate of Calvin College and has been a full-time organist in Grand Rapids.
	Gwen Varineau Accompanist				email
	Gwen Varineau is an active pianist in the Grand Rapids area. She is a regular pianist at Sherman Street Christian Reformed Church and accompanies the clarinet studio at Calvin. Gwen studied at Detroit Bible College as an undergraduate and did graduate work in piano at Michigan State University.
	John Varineau Clarinet, Music Theory				email
	John Varineau teaches clarinet and music fundamentals at Calvin. John is the Associate Music Director of the Grand Rapids Symphony, conducts the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony, and he has also served as the Calvin College Orchestra conductor. John holds a BM from the University of Wyoming and MM from Yale University.
	Larry Visser Organ				email
	Dr. Larry Visser attended Calvin College where he earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in music history, theory, and composition. He pursued graduate studies at the University of Michigan School of Music where he holds the MM degree in organ and church music and the DMA degree in organ performance. Dr. Visser is currently Minister of Music and Organist at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. He is a member of the American Guild of Organists, has served on the board of the Grand Rapids Chapter of AGO, and is also a member of the Hymn Society in North America and Canada, and composes organ and choral music.
	Lisa Walhout Voice				email
	Lisa Walhout teaches voice at Calvin College. A Calvin alumna, she did graduate work at the University of Maryland. Lisa was the interim director of Calvin's Lyric Singers, and she has performed as a soloist with Opera Grand Rapids, the Washington Bach Consort, and the Calvin Oratorio Society.
	Jennifer Walvoord Violin
	Jennifer Walvoord teaches violin at Calvin College. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Michigan. Ms. Walvoord has Masters degrees in both violin performance and chamber music from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor's degree in violin performance from Hope College. Her former teachers include Andrew Jennings, Mihai Craioveanu, Joan Conway, and Mansoon Han.In addition to her position as West Shore Symphony concertmaster, Jennifer is a member of the Flint Symphony Orchestra and plays regularly with the Grand Rapids Symphony. While at the University of Michigan, Jennifer was concertmaster of the University Symphony Orchestra, and performed electric violin on the Grammy Award-winning recording of William Bolcom's Songs of Innocence and Experience conducted by Leonard Slatkin.
	Jason Werkema Jazz Guitar				email
	Jason Werkema is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Music Division at Grace Bible College, Grand Rapids, MI. Previous to his current administrative/faculty position, he finished a Bachelors of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI and a Masters of Music degree in Jazz and Classical Guitar at Bowling Green State University, OH. He is currently nearing the completion of the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Higher Education Leadership through Western Michigan University. In addition, he serves on the music faculty at Grand Rapids Community College and Calvin College. Mr. Werkema is also founding member of the Grand Rapids Guitar Quartet (GRGQ).
	Stephanie Wiltse Handbell Ensemble Director				email
	Stephanie Wiltse has directed Calvin's Handbell Ensemble since 2001. She is also director of the Valenti Handbell Ensemble of Aquinas College and Director of Handbells for LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church. Stephanie is a founding member of the professional community handbell ensemble, Embellish, and has served as Music Director of the group since the fall of 1999. She is also a handbell soloist as well as a choral singer and vocal soloist, performing frequently in the greater Grand Rapids area.