Director of Bands: Kevin McKeown, 2012 – Present

Kevin O. McKeown has been Director of Bands at Samohi since 2012, after 10 years of teaching elementary and middle school for SMMUSD. His responsibilities at SAMOHI include teaching the Wind Symphony and Wind Ensemble, the Samohi “Viking” Marching Band, and piano courses.
Under his direction, the Samohi Wind Ensemble has performed nationally at Chicago Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, Royce Hall, and Kennedy Center. The Samohi Wind Symphony has performed in Sonoma, San Franciso and Seattle. International tours have brought the Wind Ensemble to Italy, Ireland, and Northern Ireland. In 2016 his ensemble was selected as the only high school band invited to perform at the California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC). Under his leadership with the Viking Marching Band, he has seen the group grow in size from a 3A to the 5A division while consistently placing as a 1st place and “Sweepstakes” band over the years. In 2023, the marching band finished as the silver award winner at the SCSBOA 5A field championships with a school record high score.
Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Mr. McKeown is a proud alumnus of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. Mr. McKeown holds B.A. and M.M. degrees in music education and conducting from UCLA.
Outside teaching engagements include conducting the Wind Ensemble at Santa Monica College and UC Irvine. He is also an active adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor throughout the United States, Europe and Australia. Previous teaching positions include CSUN, CSULA, Long Beach City College, and Interim Director of Athletic Bands at UCLA from 2019-2021. Memorable collaborations include Michael McDonald, Weird Al Yankovic, and BTS. He is credited with the UCLA Band on the song “On” as part of the “Map of the Soul: 7” album.

 

Director of Bands and Jazz Bands: Terry Sakow, 1990 – Present

Terry Sakow began teaching at Santa Monica High School (Samohi) in 1990. During his tenure at Santa Monica High School, the bands grew to 270 students, from only 80 in his first year. He is currently also the Director of Jazz Bands and the Music Director for the Samohi Spring Musical.

Between 1995 and 2006, he served as Chair of the Santa Monica High School Music Department overseeing the entire music curriculum and serving as consultant for a massive renovation of the school auditorium and the music facility.

By the end of his time as department chair, Samohi music department enrollment exceeded 800 students, and the music facility and performance hall had become the state-of-the-art facilities that we enjoy today. During Mr. Sakow’s tenure, the band program at Santa Monica High School has developed into one of the finest and most comprehensive of its kind in California.

His ensembles have received top honors at adjudicated performances and are considered amongst the finest bands in California. The Santa Monica High School Wind Ensemble performed at the California Music Educators Association Convention in 2006. The Wind Ensemble also performed in Carnegie Hall in 2007. Many past members of the Samohi Bands have continued their music education at prestigious conservatories, universities, and have gone on to have successful careers in the music field.

He has conducted 15 musical productions at Samohi as music director. In 2023, our all-student Pit Orchestra won a Jerry Herman Award for Best Orchestra for their performance of The Drowsy Chaperone.

Mr. Sakow was born in Yokosuka, Japan. Because his father was in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Sakow grew up in Japan, Hawaii, and California, beginning his musical studies in the 6th grade in Poway, California as a trumpeter in the school band. Mr. Sakow earned a Bachelor of Arts in music from UCLA in 1989 and later a Master’s in Music Education from the University of Illinois in 1997.

His musical mentors are Karl Fitch, Gerald and Linda Anderson, Chris Schwabe, Samuel Krachmalnick, Gary Rosenblatt and Dr. Abel Ramirez.

Mr. Sakow also plays the trumpet with the Palos Verdes Symphonic Band and is the Eb Soprano Cornetist with the Golden State British Brass Band. Despite his busy schedule as a high school band director, he still finds time to perform on the trumpet and is invited to perform with many ensembles around Southern California.

 

Jazz Band Director: Ryan Rowles, 2019 – Present

Ryan Rowles comes from a long line of trumpet players. He followed his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather’s footsteps when he began playing in the 3rd grade.  And for the past 20 years, Ryan has been teaching and playing music. Prior to joining the SMMUSD elementary music team for the 2018-19 school year, Ryan served as the Program Director for Education Through Music-Los Angeles, a non-profit organization that provides music instruction to students in disadvantaged schools. During his time at ETM-LA, Ryan helped to expand programming from 12 schools in 3 school districts to 35 schools in 5 school districts. 

Previously, Ryan was the Director of Instrumental Music at Heritage Christian Schools where he directed middle and high school wind ensemble, orchestra, and jazz ensemble. Ryan currently serves as the President Elect for the California Music Educators Association-Southwest Section. In addition to his work as an elementary music teacher in SMMUSD, he also directs the Concert Band at SMASH and will be directing the Lincoln Jazz Band beginning the 2019-20 school year.

Beyond teaching, Ryan enjoys time with his family, seeing live music, and continues to play professionally in LA when he can. He is an aficionado of all things coffee (aka coffee snob), and can frequently be seen in small cafes throughout Los Angeles.