Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Filipino-American trombonist Keefe Ismael is a rising professional musician and music educator. A versatile performer, recent engagements include, but are not limited to, the Cambrian Symphony, the Golden Gate Park Band, pits for musical theater productions all across the Bay, and an independently organized benefit recital entitled “A New Age,” a recital of 21st century works in which proceeds were donated to HEAL Palestine and RAINN. He is also a grant recipient of Lift Music Fund, an organization dedicated to uplifting emerging BIPOC artists in the music industry.

As a music educator, Keefe has taught students from elementary school all the way through the adult amateur level. In the spring of 2023, he taught fifth grade band in the public schools of Mountain View, CA through the Community School for Music and Arts.  He has also provided coachings at several schools across the Bay Area, including Mt. Eden High School, Piedmont Hills High School, Redwood Middle School, and more. He also teaches students in one-on-one instruction through his private teaching studio.

Keefe Ismael received his Bachelor’s Degree in Trombone Performance from San Jose State University studying under Tom Hornig on scholarship, and will begin master’s degrees in Trombone Performance and Musicology at the University of Denver in the fall of 2024, where he will study trombone under Richard Harris. In his free time, Keefe enjoys hitting the gym, craft coffee, and fighting for a better world through activism.