KariJo O'Keefe

Biography

Dr. KariJo O’Keefe is an Instructor of Music for the University of North Dakota Music Department, teaching various undergraduate music and fine arts courses. Additionally, she serves as the Executive Director of the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra.

Starting at an early age, O’Keefe’s music career began with piano lessons at age four.  Growing up in a small town in Northwest Minnesota, her musical life was enriched and encouraged through many community and regional opportunities.  O’Keefe accompanied middle school and high school choirs as she advanced through her schooling.  Also active in band, she received the Outstanding Performance Award for her F. Horn solo in the 1998 Minnesota Subsection 32 Contests, and the 1999-2000 Stephen/Argyle Central Outstanding Band Member Award.

During her undergraduate work at the University of North Dakota (UND), O’Keefe advanced her piano skills under the direction of Dr. Sergio Gallo and received the 2001 UND Outstanding Achievement in Keyboard Performance award.  Gaining experience in the community during this time, O’Keefe was the Choir Accompanist, Adult Handbell Choir Director, and Youth Handbell Choir Director for Calvary Lutheran Church.  She was also the pianist for Frost Fire Theatre Company’s 2004 production of Beauty and the Beast.

Throughout her graduate work, O’Keefe became interested in educating the undergraduate learner: specifically, the preservice teacher.  She taught MUSC 442: Music for Elementary Teachers in which she instructed preservice elementary teachers how to incorporate music into the general classroom.  O’Keefe taught this course throughout both her Masters and PhD residencies.  During her PhD tenure, O’Keefe was active in the presentation of her scholarly work, narrowing her research interests to musical play in early childhood and prenatal music.  O’Keefe graduated in 2013 with her PhD in Music Education from UND.  Subsequently, O’Keefe furthered her music education training in Orff-Schulwerk (Levels I-II, North Dakota State University; Level III, University of St. Thomas) and became certified in 2018.

Dr. O’Keefe has a decade’s worth of teaching experience in the elementary classroom in regional school districts.  She also wrote and received various grant fundings for her public school positions, including a $2,500 North Dakota Educational Technology Grant: Quest Foundation, as well as various mini grants for other classroom needs.  Additionally, O’Keefe has taught early childhood music in both community and private settings, including but not limited to the UND Community Music Musiktanz Program (2006-2010), Barnas Musikk (2010-2016), the Altru Health System: Learning and Organizational Department’s “Introduction to Musical Parenting” class (2012-2017), and the Scheels Community Event “Music, Mommy, & Me” (March 10, 2015).  Supporting the Greater Grand Forks community, O’Keefe has accompanied the “Unforgettables” Dementia Choir (2019–2021) and has directed the University Lutheran Church Chapel Choir (2016-2022).

In her spare time, O’Keefe enjoys running, cooking, vegetable and fruit gardening, and researching nutrition as it pertains to adult musician health.