In the summer of 2025, Calvin University welcomed Dr. Xander Koops as the new coordinator of music education and the full symphony orchestra director. 

According to the Calvin website, Calvin’s orchestra was founded in 1908 and has had a broad history of directors. After 1914, the orchestra disbanded, and was cut short by the Great Depression after it attempted a comeback in 1925. However, the orchestra had stability and success under the direction of Henry Bruinsma and Harold Geerdes the decade following 1945. From 1982 to 1996, Dr. Derald De Young led the orchestra. However, since 2000, Calvin’s orchestra has seen five different directors, the most recent being Josh Zaller. This year introduced Koops, who plans to remain at Calvin in a tenure-track position.

About Dr. Koops

Koops began his music career as a missionary kid in Nigeria with parents who were linguists and musicians. Due to the musical culture of Nigeria, Koops grew up surrounded by music. Through middle and high school, Koops had the opportunity to play trumpet and baritone and attended Blue Lake Fine Arts camp. According to Koops, his first real conducting experience was in tenth-grade marching band, where he was a section leader: “I liked this idea of working with other people and teaching them … that aspect of music is what drew me towards music education as a college student.” He then finished his high school career in Nigeria, where he had opportunities to direct his high school band.

Koops continued his education at Calvin University, pursuing a bachelor of arts in music education, where he played in the orchestra under De Young and participated in the band. Koops said that he was “in heaven” to have such a musical experience at Calvin. Through his college education, he regularly had the chance to hear the Grand Rapids Symphony and Chicago Symphony, greatly enhancing his musical experience. According to Koops, Calvin has a tradition of “embracing music from members of the orchestra [from] all majors … I think it’s just exciting to recognize that all of us are musical as humans … it’s exciting that we can keep playing music regardless of our major.” Outside of orchestra, Koops has had experience conducting bands and operas as well, and holds a Master of Music degree in wind conducting and a Doctor of Musical Arts in music education, along with minors in orchestral conducting, music theory and horn performance. 

Student opinions

Grace Cheong, a senior violinist with a double major in international relations and philosophy, joined Calvin’s orchestra after middle and high school orchestral experiences. Cheong, who has worked under two different orchestra directors — first Zaller and now Koops — said that experiencing multiple directors has been “very exciting for the ensembles … [and] for the department to see the new vision that the new directors bring.” Cheong highlighted that Koops brings an ambition to the ensemble that challenges them to grow musically. 

Although Cheong acknowledges the difficulties of shifting leadership, she is hopeful because Koops works hard to “create that very strong sense of community,” mentioning how Koops joins the ensemble for orchestra dinners when possible and makes an effort to be a part of the group. Cheong said, “He shares his vision with us. You can tell he’s not just planning for this year, but he’s settling in and trying to connect with the other music directors beyond instrumental ensembles.” As expressed by Cheong, Koops has given a very encouraging start in the orchestra.

According to Rebekah Harrison, senior violinist studying elementary education with concentrations in social studies and math, turnover in directors is something that she’s used to, as it was something she went through in middle and high school as well. Harrison emphasized that Koops is “working really, really hard to build a really good community both in the rehearsal setting and out.” Despite the challenges that come with new directors, Harrison mentioned that each director brings something new to a group, and Koops brings a contagious, positive energy to each rehearsal. Koops, who was brought in as the coordinator of the music education department, does more than just directing the orchestra, and according to Harrision, if the director is involved in more than just the orchestra, “then there’s more grounding and there’s that sense of stability within the music department as a whole.” 

Harrison looks forward to a camping trip that Koops is planning — a tradition when he was a student at Calvin — and appreciates that Koops makes time for building community with students while respecting that members of the ensemble are students first before they are musicians.  

The future of orchestra

Koops claimed that orchestra, as a form of worship, has three aspects: creativity, everything as worship and service. Koops explained that one of the characteristics of God is “being a creative God … so as humans we’re made in His image to be creative.” He added that living out creativity, especially through music, is one way people reflect how God made them. Koops believes that “our whole life is worship,” and that even when students are doing homework or eating dinner, it is worship. He hopes to encourage students to view everything they do, including orchestra, as worship. Music can also be used as service, and Koops looks forward to seeing what the orchestra can do that “might be of service to the broader community,” whether that be playing at a church or a local school.   

Koops acknowledged that previous directors have “done some great things” and is thankful for all the work they have done, while also looking forward to the future with exciting plans for the orchestra. In the next year, Koops hopes to introduce new, interesting and diverse music and “explore the boundaries of new orchestra music that might sound very different than people are used to.”

In the spring, Koops hopes to feature a student composition piece and feature the orchestra in a Monday chapel service. At the chapel service, he plans to honor Nigerian culture by bringing in a composer from Nigeria, a student pianist from Nigeria and himself, hoping to “represent a culture that’s connected to me as well as students at Calvin.” Furthermore, he wants the orchestra to explore music from cultures that students might not be familiar with. Koops is excited about Calvin’s Concerto Competition, where students from any major can compete to play with the orchestra in the spring semester. According to Koops, more long-term plans for the orchestra include mini-tours and playing at local churches, as well as a church in Chicago. Koops also has large hopes to perform in the Handlon Correctional Facility, a plan still in the works. He hopes to get more involved with local high schools and the Calvin Community Orchestra, looking towards a future that brings the orchestra into the community surrounding Calvin. 

Though the orchestra has seen many transitions, students say Koops brings an energy that feels renewed. With concerts and outreach on the horizon, the group is eager to see what this new season will bring.