Mr. Dennis Keller accepted the appointment
as choral conductor and vocal instructor at Ohlone College,
in 1985, where he founded the Chamber
Singers, as a subset of the Community Chorale. Since
that time Mr. Keller has achieved the academic ranking of
full Professor in Music and continues to serve in this capacity.
His formal training includes: a Bachelor of Music Education
from Mount Union College; a Masters in Music from the University
of Arizona; and completed the course work for a Doctorate
in Music at the University of Southern California. In addition
Mr. Keller has: participated in the Summer Vocal Institute
in Graz, Austria; and studied conducting with Eric Ericson,
Rodney Eichenberger, Dr. Maurice Skones, Dr. Douglas Pritchard,
and Dr. Bruce Browne.
Before accepting the position at Ohlone College, Mr. Keller had taught music at all levels of public schools, and continues to be active in church music, as Director of Music at the First Presbyterian Church in Livermore. Recipient of three sabbatical leaves from Ohlone College Mr. Keller has accepted an invitation to study conducting privately with Eric Ericson in Stockholm, Sweden; participated in World Music Seminars in Istanbul, Turkey and Cairo, Egypt. And during his most recent sabbatical, Spring 2007, he served as a Visiting Scholar to the People’s Republic of China at the Dalian Normal University, and the Zheijang Vocational Academy of the Arts, and served as choral clinician in Melbourne and Perth, Australia. Mr. Keller continues to be active as a choral festival adjudicator, and consultant for church music program development.
Though leisure
time is a premium in our conductor’s schedule, he
is fond of spirited discussion involving: international
politics; public events; travel; wine; and yes, even a little
technology. During the all-to-brief vacation periods he
enjoys traveling with his family around the continental
United States, Europe, and any place “tropical”.
The Keller family, wife Janet Holmes, daughters Rachel and
Hannah, and their two Hungarian Vizlas live in San Ramon.