Rich Cory is a native of Springfield, Ohio. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Taylor University and a master’s degree in applied voice from Ohio University where he subsequently taught as an instructor of voice and director of opera. He has given several solo recitals, and appeared as a soloist  in numerous oratorios, operas, operettas, and musicals. For several seasons he sang at the Stadttheater Regensburg in Regensburg, Germany. Since moving to Holland in 1997, Rich and his wife Mary have sung in many area churches. He served as a soloist and associate director of the Holland Chorale. He retired from ITW-Drawform in the spring of 2014, and from the position of Music Director at Central Avenue Christian Reformed Church in 2018. His first performance of THE MESSIAH was in 1964 as a chorus singer. Since that time, Rich has served often as bass soloist, and most recently as chorus conductor. This is his eighteenth season as conductor of the Zeeland Civic Chorus.