Dennis Keene is today best known as one of the country's leading choral conductors – the founder and artistic director of Voices of Ascension. But he began his career as an organist. He received the BM, MM, and DMA degrees at the Juilliard School, and was the winner of the prestigious Gaston Dethier Prize for Excellence in Organ Playing. His teacher was Vernon de Tar. In the winter of 1977 he studied in Paris with Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, André Marchal, and André Isoir. He was active as an organ teacher for many years, and was on the Organ Faculties of the Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard School.

Dennis Keene's association with the music of Duruflé is known internationally. In 1989 he mounted the first-ever complete retrospective of he music of Duruflé, and conducted the complete choral works to great critical acclaim. For many years he played the Duruflé organ works in recital repeatedly, and has taught them in countless masterclasses. Likewise, he has conducted and taught the choral works many times throughout the United States. Mme Duruflé referred to Dennis Keene as the "Perfect Interpreter of my husband's music." His friendship with Mme Duruflé lasted until her death in 1999. Dennis Keene is a member of the Comité International de Soutien of the Duruflé Association.

His strong interest in French Baroque music lead him to studies with André Isoir. And, while a doctoral candidate at Juilliard, he completed his dissertation, "Ornamentation in the organ music of Jehan Titelouze." He looks forward to playing and teaching all this literature on the new Quoirin organ at Ascension.

Dennis Keene is the Organist and Choirmaster of Church of the Ascension.

A further biography of Dennis Keene can be found here on this site.