Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame Honors ‘Educator of Note’ Recipient Craig Knapp

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) honored ‘Educator of Note’ recipient Craig Knapp on Feb. 1 in Stony Brook for his dedication to music education and positive impact on current and former students. 

LIMEHOF Education Committee Member Mike Rodgers (left) presents the LIMEHOF 'Educator of Note' award to Craig Knapp (right)
LIMEHOF Education Committee Member Mike Rodgers (left) and Craig Knapp (right)

The event featured acknowledgements and words of appreciation from colleagues, students and state figures, including Music Department Chair from Rocky Point School District Amy Schecher, 5th Grade Student Emma Wurm, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York (MYO) Dr. Anthea Jackson, New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio and MYO Concert Choir Director Dr. Doreen Fryling. Musical performances from current students were also performed. 

“Mr. Knapp is one of the most inspiring people and most deserving people of this kind of award,” said former student now Deer Park Music Teacher Grace Donofrio. “He inspires me to be a music teacher, and I hope that I can be half of him one day as I learn and grow and continue in my career.”

“Once he told me this was happening, I had to come… it was like no question,” said former student Julia Brandow, who traveled out of town to celebrate Knapp. “He has done so much for us. The least I could do was be here today for him. Music is the biggest thing in my life and he 100% is the foundation for that.”

Craig Knapp speaks to a full house of guests and speakers at the LIMEHOF 'Educator of Note' award ceremony.
Craig Knapp speaks to a full house of guests and speakers.

Knapp is an elementary choral and classroom music specialist, teaching Classroom Music and Chorus for students grades 3 through 5 at the Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School in the Rocky Point School District since 1998. The Crane School of Music alum is also a former Hofstra University professor, book author, member of the General Music Writing Team for the Curriculum Project of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and the Library of Congress of the United States (LOC), former director of the Early Childhood Community Music Program at Stony Brook University and much more. 

Through research-based and developmentally appropriate pedagogy, Knapp has fostered quality music education for young children throughout decades – an accomplishment that he holds proudly. “Of all that I have achieved—more important than any accolades I could receive, books I could publish, guest conducting opportunities I could receive, invitations to present at professional development conferences, or performances I direct—my greatest accomplishment, and what I’m most proud of,” Knapp says, “is that students still come to visit me decades later to tell me that I was their favorite teacher and to thank me for the positive impact I had on their life. What could be better than that?”

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