About.Zeeland Academy of Music is located at 156 E. Cherry Ave in the Church St. Professional Office Building in Zeeland, Michigan
Contact us at [email protected] Check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ZeelandAcademyofMusic/ In addition to offering private and small group lessons on many instruments, ZAM is a fully equipped recording studio! Contact us to book time to record your professionally produced demo! |
Established in 2020This has been a longtime dream for Sherry and Jeff Costello.
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Our GoalWe strive to provide the Zeeland community with quality music instruction.
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Our Team
Jeff Costello
Owner/Founder/Intructor
Jeff's Bio
Jeff Costello earned his Bachelor of Applied Arts (Music) from Central Michigan University in 1991, his Bachelor of Music Education from Grand Valley State University in 1996 and his Master's in Education (Music) from GVSU in 2007.
He has been a Professional (including touring regionally) Musician for over thirty years performing in fourteen states. His band, Paris Blue performed approximately 300 dates per year from 1991 - 1994. Jeff has performed professionally on Vocals, Drums, Guitar, Keyboards and has also been a Sound Engineer for 30+ years.
Jeff has also been performing in Cos & Cos, an acoustic duo, with his brother Michael for 25 years, was a Public School Choir Director for 24 years, was Music Director for Musicals for 20 years, and also directed a Church Choir for 10 years. Jeff is certified in all three levels of Somatic Voicework(TM) The LoVetri Method and has taken the courses (including several post graduate courses) fourteen out of the past fifteen summers, the last ten summers while serving as a faculty member, leading breakout sessions, presenting on audio equipment, how to teach pop rock to choirs, how to teach distorted rock vocal sounds and also serving as the official sound engineer for the LoVetri Institute for Somatic Voicework(TM) at Baldwin Wallace University in the Cleveland area.
Jeff 's writing has been published in Michigan Music Educators Journal (2007) and a chapter in the book Action-Based Approaches in Popular Music Education released in 2021.
Music and teaching are Jeff's true passions in life.
Jeff Costello earned his Bachelor of Applied Arts (Music) from Central Michigan University in 1991, his Bachelor of Music Education from Grand Valley State University in 1996 and his Master's in Education (Music) from GVSU in 2007.
He has been a Professional (including touring regionally) Musician for over thirty years performing in fourteen states. His band, Paris Blue performed approximately 300 dates per year from 1991 - 1994. Jeff has performed professionally on Vocals, Drums, Guitar, Keyboards and has also been a Sound Engineer for 30+ years.
Jeff has also been performing in Cos & Cos, an acoustic duo, with his brother Michael for 25 years, was a Public School Choir Director for 24 years, was Music Director for Musicals for 20 years, and also directed a Church Choir for 10 years. Jeff is certified in all three levels of Somatic Voicework(TM) The LoVetri Method and has taken the courses (including several post graduate courses) fourteen out of the past fifteen summers, the last ten summers while serving as a faculty member, leading breakout sessions, presenting on audio equipment, how to teach pop rock to choirs, how to teach distorted rock vocal sounds and also serving as the official sound engineer for the LoVetri Institute for Somatic Voicework(TM) at Baldwin Wallace University in the Cleveland area.
Jeff 's writing has been published in Michigan Music Educators Journal (2007) and a chapter in the book Action-Based Approaches in Popular Music Education released in 2021.
Music and teaching are Jeff's true passions in life.

Rachel Xydis
Piano/Voice Instructor
Rachel's Bio
Rachel Xydis has been the choir teacher at Creekside Middle School in Zeeland Public Schools since the fall of 2020. Before working at Creekside, she taught K-12 music in a small school district in Buckley, Michigan. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Grand Valley State University and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Music Education at the University of Michigan during the summer. In addition to teaching, she sings with the professional choir, VoxGR. She is excited to work with the students at ZAM and share her passion for music.
Piano/Voice Instructor
Rachel's Bio
Rachel Xydis has been the choir teacher at Creekside Middle School in Zeeland Public Schools since the fall of 2020. Before working at Creekside, she taught K-12 music in a small school district in Buckley, Michigan. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Grand Valley State University and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Music Education at the University of Michigan during the summer. In addition to teaching, she sings with the professional choir, VoxGR. She is excited to work with the students at ZAM and share her passion for music.

Margaret Howley-Lowry
Violin/Viola/Cello/Bass/Piano
Margaret's Bio
Margaret Hawley-Lowry graduated from Grand Valley State University with her Bachelor's of Music Education in 2022. She has taught private lessons for 9 years. She became the assistant orchestra director for Zeeland Public Schools in 2022. At ZAM, Margaret teaches lessons for string instruments (violin, viola, cello, and bass). She loves the joy that comes from creating music with a community, and wants to help her students find that joy. She also enjoys playing piano, whether by herself, for the community, or to accompany student solos. When she's not learning music, she loves listening to some pop tunes, or exploring Spotify for up and coming artists.
Violin/Viola/Cello/Bass/Piano
Margaret's Bio
Margaret Hawley-Lowry graduated from Grand Valley State University with her Bachelor's of Music Education in 2022. She has taught private lessons for 9 years. She became the assistant orchestra director for Zeeland Public Schools in 2022. At ZAM, Margaret teaches lessons for string instruments (violin, viola, cello, and bass). She loves the joy that comes from creating music with a community, and wants to help her students find that joy. She also enjoys playing piano, whether by herself, for the community, or to accompany student solos. When she's not learning music, she loves listening to some pop tunes, or exploring Spotify for up and coming artists.
Sherry Costello
Chief Financial Officer/Human Resources
Sherry's Bio
Sherry Costello earned her Bachelor of Science degree
from Davenport University in Business Management
with a Human Resources concentration. She has over
30 years experience in the accounting and human
resources fields working in both the public and private
sectors. She loves all things numbers and working with
people. In her spare time, Sherry enjoys knitting, reading,
puzzles and spending time with her family and dogs
Abel and Bela.
Chief Financial Officer/Human Resources
Sherry's Bio
Sherry Costello earned her Bachelor of Science degree
from Davenport University in Business Management
with a Human Resources concentration. She has over
30 years experience in the accounting and human
resources fields working in both the public and private
sectors. She loves all things numbers and working with
people. In her spare time, Sherry enjoys knitting, reading,
puzzles and spending time with her family and dogs
Abel and Bela.
Images of ZAM 1 and ZAM 2
ZAM 1 is a fully equipped recording studio with multiple microphones, acoustic and electronic drums, piano/keyboard, bass, acoustic and electric guitars
ZAM 2 Is a more open space designed for Keyboard, Band and Orchestral instrument instruction
The last image is of "Puffy" our air purifier. Puffy has three types of filtration: HEPA, UV and Ionization and is about the best air purifier money can buy. Just one more tool in the defense against Covid 19 and other airborne pathogens
ZAM 1 is a fully equipped recording studio with multiple microphones, acoustic and electronic drums, piano/keyboard, bass, acoustic and electric guitars
ZAM 2 Is a more open space designed for Keyboard, Band and Orchestral instrument instruction
The last image is of "Puffy" our air purifier. Puffy has three types of filtration: HEPA, UV and Ionization and is about the best air purifier money can buy. Just one more tool in the defense against Covid 19 and other airborne pathogens