About the Artist
Larry Keenan is a Professor Emeritus of Music at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky, where he taught on all types of keyboards for forty-three years from 1967 until his retirement in May, 2010.
He was Chair of the MSU Faculty Senate and served as Chair of other University Committees including the University Tenure, University Promotion, and the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Louisville, a Master of Music degree from Indiana University and did his doctoral course work at the University of Cincinnati.
Keenan has won nineteen keyboard competitions; was a participant in the Second International Van Cliburn Piano Competition, and was a two-time National First Runner-up in the National Federation of Music Clubs Young Artist Competition. He was also the National Champion in the Professional Organist Division of the Yamaha Electone Organ Festival and represented the United States at the International Festival in Japan where he performed his original composition and improvisations.
He has served as a National and Regional Judge for the Yamaha Electone Festival; and serves as an educational and performing consultant for the Yamaha Corporation in the Clavinova and Portable Keyboard areas. Keenan is a Past-President of the Kentucky Music Teachers Association; having previously served as the State Piano Chairman; and he later served as Conductor for their All-State Piano Ensemble and twice as their State Convention Artist.
Larry was Organist and Associate Music Director for The Stephen Foster Story in historic Bardstown, KY, for thirty-four seasons where he performed over 2800 shows as solo keyboardist on the Drama keyboards; and an additional ten seasons as accompanist for their promotional group, The Stephen Foster Story Singers.
He currently serves as Senior Keyboardist for the Morehead United Methodist Church and as Keyboardist for his home church, the 7 Day Church of God in Lexington, KY. In 1992, Keenan started his Playing Hands Ministries, which is a faith ministry and a performing outreach service utilizing a solo keyboard concert format that features his classical, religious and inspirational solo keyboard arrangements.