John O’Keefe has over 35 years’ experience in acoustics. He has been responsible for optimizing the acoustics of some of Canada’s finest performing arts centres, including the celebrated acoustical renovation of Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Earlier work includes Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre and the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. He has also completed a wide collection of projects in the United States, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean.

Mr. O’Keefe is the winner of several awards, including Canada’s highest distinction for any form of engineering, The Schreyer Award. The Schreyer is typically the purview of multi-nationals, building things like the Confederation Bridge. In 2007 he won The Schreyer for innovative engineering ideas that led up to the very successful Medicine Hat Arts and Heritage Centre, the first and only time the award was given to an arts project.

He has published over 35 scientific papers on the subject of acoustics for the performing arts. As an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto, he has taught Masters’ courses in both the Faculty of Architecture and Landscape Design and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

His work, both academic and professional is recognised around the world and was recently honoured as a Fellow of the Institute of Acoustics (UK). Mr. O’Keefe is an active amateur musician working as a choral singer and helping out playing guitar and bass at the Parkdale Activity and Recreation Centre in Toronto. He is the past-President of the new music Ensemble Noir and more recently has participated as a member of the Board of Trustees for the National Arts Centre.