03/07/2025
The world lost one of my undergrad music therapy professors way too early. She sparked my interest in pediatrics/in the schools. She always saw the spark in me & encouraged me to keep working hard through the difficult times. She always had a passion for her work & did a ton of research in the field. She worked up until her final days on Earth because she really loved her students & our profession. She lives on through us all! 🎶💐❤️
It is with the deepest sadness that we share the passing of Dr. Kamile Geist, Haymon Professor of Music Therapy, and a cherished member of our LSU School of Music family.
She is remembered as a dedicated educator and inspiring colleague, as well as a beloved wife to Gene and mother to sons Dylan and Michael. Her innovative work in music therapy not only enriched the lives of countless students and community members but also significantly advanced the practice of music therapy. She was well known for her cross-disciplinary collaborations, most notably her research with her husband, Gene, on learning mathematics through beat, rhythm, and melody—a project that evolved into Keep a Beat, a revolutionary framework empowering teachers and caregivers to use accessible, evidence-based live music strategies to promote positive social-emotional interactions and enhanced learning outcomes. Additionally, Dr. Geist passionately researched the impact of music-based strategies on caregiver stress levels and caregiver-infant social-emotional competence, further expanding the reach of her work.
Dr. Geist was a trailblazer in the LSU community, shaping the future of music therapy in Louisiana. After serving as Director of Music Therapy at Ohio University in Athens for 11 years, she was appointed as the inaugural program director at LSU in 2022. She built the music therapy curriculum from the ground up and worked tirelessly to transform Baton Rouge and its surrounding areas into an incubator for the therapeutic use of music. Her genuine and ever-optimistic commitment to music therapy, its professionals, and its students was unmatched. She forged vital connections between the LSU School of Music and Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center, Baton Rouge General Hospital, LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, and a growing network of rehabilitation centers, hospice facilities, and pre-K–12 schools. She mobilized and united the music therapy community in Louisiana, leaving behind a legacy of passion, innovation, and dedication in the service of others.
A celebration of Dr. Geist’s life is currently being planned by her family for either March or April. The LSU School of Music will share more details as they become available, along with additional plans to honor her memory.
Please join us in keeping Dr. Geist’s family, friends, students, and colleagues in your thoughts during this difficult time.
