Who's Who

While in Chicago, Scott sang for six years with St. Luke’s Choir of Men & Boys, Richard Webster, director; five years with His Majesties’ Clerkes (re-named Bella Voce), Richard Childress & Anne Heider, co-directors; and two years with Music of the Baroque, Thomas Wickman, Director.

In 1991, Scott took up a dual post at the Wells Cathedral Music School in Somerset, England, where he taught academic music and trained the boy and girl choristers at Wells Cathedral in weekly voice lessons. He also sang as a soloist and regular member of the Wells Cathedral Choir until his return to the States in 1995. Scott has been a soloist throughout Europe and South America performing with various orchestras, including the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the City of London Sinfonia, singing such roles as the tenor in Britten’s War Requiem and the Evangelist roles in Bach’s St.Matthew and St. John Passions.

Scott has been the Artistic Director of the Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys since 2001. He is also on the music faculty at Grand Rapids Community College and Calvin University, and is Director of the Chancel Choir of Mayflower Congregational Church. Scott and his wife Jane reside in Cascade. Their three adult sons, Ryan, James and Christopher, are former RSCM choristers.

Projecting “a warmly musical personality”, Julia Brown’s many recordings on Naxos hail her as an “unquestionably first-class artist and superb technician… exceptionally sensitive”. Her organ and harpsichord recordings of W. F. Bach, J. S. Bach, Buxtehude and Scheidemann have gained high critical acclaim. In demand as a historical keyboardist and collaborative artist, Julia’s performances include chamber music, orchestral repertoire, and continuo playing in addition to solo recitals. Julia has been accompanying singers and instrumentalists since an early age and has appeared in concert in North and South America and in Europe. Concert appearances include the Oregon Bach Festival, Astoria Music Festival, Chico Bach Festival, American Guild of Organists Regional and National Conventions, Organ Historical Society Conventions, Latin American Organist Conventions, and National Public Radio. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brown studied piano, harpsichord and organ in her native Brazil before receiving her MM and DMA from Northwestern University as a student of Wolfgang Rübsam. Julia is Director of Music and Organist at Mayflower Congregational Church and accompanies the Calvin Alumni Choir. She is thrilled and honored to join GRCMB!

Matthew Owens is the Founder and Music Director of The Ulster Consort, Northern Ireland’s newest professional vocal and instrumental ensemble; Conductor of the Belfast City Chorus; and Associate Director of the Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys in Michigan, USA. Previously, he was the director of music at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral Edinburgh and Wells Cathedral, UK. Under his leadership, Wells Cathedral Choir was named by an international jury for Gramophone as the best choir in the world with children, and the sixth greatest overall. From 2019-2022 he was Director of Music of Belfast Cathedral where he re-established the choir as a professional adult ensemble. Winning international acclaim for its work: “it could well be the finest all-adult standing choir of its kind anywhere, with near-perfect vowel harmony, blend, enunciation, nuanced awareness of phrase and an exceptional, bright and pure soprano group.” (Gramophone).

He has guest conducted, among others, the London Mozart Players, English Symphony Orchestra, Southern Sinfonia, Scottish Ensemble, Nash Ensemble, Brook Street Band, and the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra. As a conductor he has made over 30 CDs with major labels and now records exclusively for the award-winning label, Resonus Classics. He has directed choral workshops and summer schools throughout the UK and abroad – including Australia, China, Germany, and Hong Kong. Kenya, Luxembourg, New Zealand, and the USA.

Matthew has championed new music particularly of British composers, conducting over 200 world premieres, including works by leading composers ranging from John Rutter to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, and Jools Holland to Sir James MacMillan.

Twitter: @MatthewOwensUK

Twitter: @ulsterconsort

Gwen Hendrikse has been our rehearsal accompanist since 2012. She has played the piano in many capacities over the years, including teaching and accompanying music students for recitals, auditions, performances, and competitions. She has also accompanied choirs at both her church and several schools. Sitting at the piano in the center of our rehearsal room at Community College, she acknowledges she definitely has “the best seat in the house.”

Lori Schimmelmann earned her BA in Elementary Education with a minor in music from Central Michigan University. She is currently employed by Wyoming Public Schools as an elementary teacher. She has played saxophone in various Grand Rapids area big bands with her husband, along with singing in her church chancel choir. She also is the adult hand-bell choir director and the children's choir director at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Jenison. Lori's two children are both instrumentalists and her son graduated from the boys program and now sings in the men's section with GRCMB.

Jordan Malone is a graduate of Aquinas College with a (BM) in Liturgical music. Jordan has studied organ (Larry Biser and Dr. Kenneth Bos), piano (Mary Hurd), composition (Dr. Mark Webb), conducting (Dr. Stephen Barton), and voice (Scott Bosscher and Barbara Witham McCargar). He currently serves as the Director of Sacred Music at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church & School. Jordan has been a part of the GRCMB family since 2008, joining as a chorister who fell in love with sacred music because of his involvement with the choir. Jordan has written many choral anthems, music for sacred worship, and secular choral music as well. Jordan has also been involved in the Grand Rapids community theatre scene, from working the box office at Circle Theatre, to performing on stage and working as music director for various shows/concerts. Jordan attributes his love for music and the arts to his grandmother, Mary Stanley (1948-2022) who got him involved with GRCMB and the music ministry at his church. She would be there to take him to rehearsals and always sit in the first few rows at performances. She showed her support and love by letting everyone she met know about Jordan’s career and how proud she was of him. Outside of his music life, he enjoys lawn-scaping, and attempting home DIY repairs. bike riding, swimming, videography, photography, fun adventures that include walking…not to be confused with hiking and many more activities! Liking to keep busy he loves to explore the world that God has created and be in the presence of his beauty.

Jane has been involved with the Choir since 2002 when her two youngest sons became choristers. She has been the business manager for GRCMB since 2010 overseeing the financial and administrative responsibilities for the choir as well as being the volunteer coordinator for the concerts.