Meet the Director

Dr. Michael Keepe joined the Lakeland faculty in 2024. A deeply committed music educator, Mike enjoys working with students of all ages from beginner to advanced university students and is active as an adjudicator and clinician for music festivals and competitions. In addition to teaching Band and Choir at Lakeland, Dr. Keepe teaches saxophone for Eastern Washington University, performs with the Coeur d'Alene Symphony and the funk band Flyining Funk. Upon moving to Idaho, he created the North Idaho Saxophone Academy to provide lessons, clinics and workshops throughout the Inland Northwest and online nationally. 

In high school, Mike was a  member of the famed Fort Hunt High School and West Potomac High School band programs in Alexandria, Virginia. Being a member of these programs inspired Mike to pursue a career in music. He attended the Univerisity of Utah and University of Arizona to pursue degrees in Music Education and Saxophone Performance. During this time Mike had the honor of working with some of the great band directors and composers of our idiom. In each of these programs Dr. Keepe was also featured multiple times as soloist with these ensembles which included recordings for Albany Records. 

As a performer, Mike’s playing is described as “sonically potent” (Tucson Citizen), “flawless and riveting . . . his interpretation thoughtful and commanding” (Composer Kip Haaheim), a “dazzling virtuoso” (Composer Pamela Decker) and “a beautiful and powerful presence” (Composer David Maslanka). He has performed as soloist with high school and university ensembles, at regional and national saxophone and music educator's conventions, and has recorded with the University of Arizona Wind Ensemble. He has also performed with the Coeur d’Alene Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Chamber Orchestra, Catalina Chamber Orchestra, Arizona Opera, The Rodriguez & Keepe Duo, Presidio Saxophone Quartet. The later, performing and touring internationally for 18 years. As a freelance musician, he has recorded as a studio sideman and performed with touring artists such as Michael Feinstien, Bernadette Peters, the Cab Calloway Orchestra, The Temptations, and cover-bands like Beatlemania.

With performances in Canada, Mexico, Australia and throughout the United States, he has performed in such historic venues as the Kennedy Center, The Pentagon, The Hall of The Americas, and the Filene Center at Wolf Trap, in the Washington DC area; Symphony Hall and Temple Square in Salt Lake City; the Paramount Theater in Iowa City; the Fox Theater in Tucson, AZ, and the Panida Theater in Sandpoint, ID.

Dr. Keepe’s prior teaching credentials include faculty appointments for the University of Arizona's Fred Fox School of Music (Saxophone) and the Eller College of Management (Entrepreneurship) at the University of Arizona, Pima Community College (Saxophone, Music Industry), The Festival at Sandpoint Summer Youth Music Camp in Idaho (Chamber Band, Conducting, Saxophone), Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Michigan (Saxophone, Conducting), and Band Director and Saxophone Clinician for the Tucson Unified School District, in Arizona. He has served as President of the Tucson Music Teachers Association and has taught privately for more than 40 years. 

Mike is a member of the Daddario Educators Collective and a Performing Artist and Clinician for Conn-Selmer Inc. performing on Selmer Paris saxophones exclusively. He can be heard on the Albany, AUR, Coseismic, and Viva Nostalgie recording labels.

For more information on Dr. Keepe please visit www.mikekeepe.com