His early teacher, P. Wilkes, was a graduate of the Royal College of Music in London and he first appeared as a concerto soloist with a youth orchestra at the age of twelve.  He studied privately with Ozan Marsh (who studied with Liszt pupil Emil von Sauer and had lessons with Horowitz and Rachmaninoff), with Walter Hautzig, and in master class with Menahem Pressler and chamber music with the LaSalle Quartet and Dorothy Delay (the teacher of Itzhak Perlmen and Sarah Chang). 

Lipke is Professor of Music at Adams State University in Colorado.  He has built a thriving piano studio and has experience teaching at all levels.  He mentors each student to reach their career goals.  In addition to teaching piano lessons, he also teaches Piano Literature and Pedagogy and Accompanying Practicum, with students actively performing in the community.  One of his students performed as a soloist with the Honolulu Symphony.  Lipke also taught for ten years at the Northern Arizona University Summer Music Camp.  He maintains an active schedule as a teacher, composer and performer, teaching and performing on a Steinway grand piano he was privileged to select at the New York factory, as well as a 21-rank pipe organ and a Franco-Flemish double manual harpsichord.