Joseph Keeney

Joseph Keeney earned a Bachelor of Music Education from UMKC and a Master of Arts in Education degree from Webster University. Recently retired, Mr. Keeney served as the Director of Orchestras at Lee’s Summit North High School and Bernard Campbell Middle School for the past 21 years. Prior to that Mr. Keeney previously taught elementary, middle school and high school orchestra in the Raytown School district, five years, and the Kansas City Kansas School District three years. Each of Mr. Keeney’s orchestras have repeatedly earned highest ratings at state and district levels during his 29 years of teaching.  His High School Symphony Orchestra was invited to perform at the MMEA Conference in 2009 and 2012. Mr. Keeney also served as orchestra director of the Kansas City Youth Symphony Symphonette for eight years.  Mr. Keeney is active as an adjudicator for both district and state music festivals in Kansas and Missouri. Mr. Keeney has served as a clinician/conductor for middle school and high school honor orchestras, district and state orchestras in Iowa, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Kansas and Missouri. 

He is currently serving as executive director of MOASTA and has served as MOASTA President.  Additional leadership positions have included, MMEA Orchestra Vice President, Orchestra Vice President of the Kansas City Metro District #3 and of Orchestra Vice President of the Kansas District #1 K-9 festivals. Mr. Keeney has been honored with the Sallie Mae Teacher of the Year Award 1996. Mr. Keeney received the Lee’s Summit R-VII School District Excellence in Teaching Award in 2016. Mr. Keeney received the Lee’s Summit R-VII School District Teacher of Distinction Award in 2022.  In 2020 Mr. Keeney was awarded the National Federation of State High Schools Missouri Outstanding Music Educator of the year. Mr. Keeney was awarded the MOASTA Distinguished Service Award in 2022. In 2024 Mr. Keeney received the Honored National Teaching Award.

As a violinist and violist, Joseph regularly plays in the Armande String Quartet and has played with the Kansas City Civic Symphony, Saint Joseph Symphony and currently plays with the Lee’s Summit Symphony. Mr. Keeney has a wonderful wife, Diane, and two beautiful daughters, Jillian and Addison.