Vocalese is the top vocal jazz ensemble at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, and is comprised of 16 singers from sophomore through senior grade levels. Vocalese was started in 1992 and is recognized as one of the outstanding jazz choirs in the Midwest, garnering the Best of Iowa Jazz Choir Championships for 4A award in 2007 and 2009. Within the ensemble, the development of each singer as a solo performer and a group participant is strongly emphasized. Vocalese is often invited to appear in the metro Des Moines area, and its members are frequently chosen to participate in the Iowa All-State Jazz Choir. The ensemble has traveled nationwide to perform at jazz festivals, working with many acclaimed clinicians. Their passion for performing, as well as their bonds of friendship, combine to create an environment of outstanding music.

Linda Vanderpool has served as Director of Vocal Music at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa since 2002. Valley is one of Iowa's largest secondary institutions and provides a challenging and rigorous curriculum for its students. A versatile conductor, Linda has led the school's premiere ensembles including the A Cappella Choir, Select Treble Clef Choir, Valley Singers, Vocal Point and Vocalese Jazz Choir. Under her leadership, these ensembles have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival at the University of Idaho in Moscow, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. Valley ensembles have consistently earned Outstanding ratings at the state and national levels under her direction.

Linda holds a Master of Music Education with choral emphasis from Drake University and a Bachelor of Music Education Cum Laude from Simpson College where she studied voice and piano. She has served the Iowa Choral Directors Association (ICDA) and the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE). Her expertise in vocal jazz is in demand at both secondary and collegiate levels, and she mentors area professionals in the development of high caliber vocal jazz choral curricula.