Steven Schopp ’66
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
This award acknowledges alumni who have completed at least 40 years of their professional career and/or retired from their lifelong profession. They have achieved exceptional success in their profession and/or have contributed significantly to the advancement and leadership of noteworthy civic, philanthropic, or service organizations for many years. Their lifelong achievements have brought them significant professional and volunteer recognition and has set a standard of excellence to which others may aspire.
Steven E. Schopp graduated from the Ithaca College School of Music in 1966.
Steve’s 56-year career as a music educator began with 37 years in the Syosset Long Island school system, teaching at all levels before becoming a district administrator. He received an MS from the University of Illinois, a PD from Long Island University, and an Ed.D. from Columbia University.
He was Director of Bands at the Usdan Center for the Performing Arts for 8 years and played euphonium in many area bands, including 25 years in a Civil War band at Old Bethpage Village. He has been active as a board member with several youth orchestras on Long Island.
Steve has served in a wide variety of positions in music education including the presidencies of the Nassau Music Educators Association (NMEA), the Nassau Administrators of Music Education (NYSCAME), the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) and the Eastern Division of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Following his retirement from Syosset, he served 13 years as the Executive Director of NYSSMA. He has been on the NYSSMA Executive Board for over 40 years, still attends board meetings as Executive Director Emeritus and remains an All-State adjudicator. He has received the NYSSMA Distinguished Service award, the Educator of Note from the Long Island Music Hall of Fame and is a NAfME Lowell Mason Fellow.
He had the pleasure of supervising student music teachers from Ithaca College on Long Island and in New York City for 15 years.
Dr. Schopp lives in Westbury NY with his wife Rae and has three children, Laurie, MM ’96, Kristen and Steven. He has five grandchildren. When not engaging in musical activities, Steve spends his time contacting the world as an active amateur radio operator.
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