Glen Cove High School Director of Choral Music Edward P. Norris III was recently presented the 2025 Educator of Note Award from the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF). He accepted the award at a special presentation ceremony at LIMEHOF in Stony Brook (97 Main Street Stony Brook, NY). Last year’s Educator of Note Craig Knapp made the presentation. The award ceremony also featured music performances by students from the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, as well as Glen Cove High School former and present students.
“Gold medals, national conferences, and international tours tell part of the story, but Edward Norris’ real legacy lives in the generations of students whose lives he’s transformed through music,” said LIMEHOF Vice Chairman Tom Needham, who manages LIMEHOF’s Education programs.
Edward P. Norris III is currently the Director of Choral Music at Glen Cove High School, Conductor of the Nassau Chamber Chorale at the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, Director of Choirs at Long Island University. With an impressive career that spans 23 years, Norris is the 19th Long Island music teacher to be recognized by LIMEHOF since the Educator of Note Award was established in 2007. This award recognizes exceptional teachers who demonstrate a commitment to music education, play an active role in the community and have a significant impact on the lives of music students of all backgrounds and abilities.
“Being recognized as the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame 2025 Educator of Note is a profound honor and a deeply humbling moment,” said Norris. “Long Island’s rich musical legacy has shaped generations of artists, and to play a role in nurturing that tradition through education is incredibly meaningful to me. Being a teacher and conductor is not what I do, it is a huge part of who I am and this recognition belongs not to me, but to the thousands of students that have allowed me to make music with them over the course of my career, to my colleagues, and community who believe in the power of music to inspire, connect, and transform lives.”
Nominations are open for the next Educator of Note Award through October 2nd, 2026.
For nomination criteria and more information about the LIMEHOF Educator of Note Award, visit https://www.limusichalloffame.org/educator-of-note/
Edward P. Norris III Biography:
Edward P. Norris III serves as the director of Choral Music at Glen Cove HS, where he conducts the Mixed Chorus and Select Chorale. He also teaches courses in Music Theory and AP Music Theory. Mr. Norris has directed the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO) Nassau Chamber Chorale for the past 20 years and is also an adjunct professor at the Aaron Copland School of Music, as well as Long Island University teaches classes on choral music education, conducting, and conducts the choir at LIU.
Mr. Norris is a graduate of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, where he received both his Bachelor of Arts Degree and his Master’s Degree in Music Education, where he studied under the baton of the great Dr. Lawrence Eisman. During Mr. Norris’ tenure at Glen Cove High School, the Mixed Chorus and Select Chorale have only received Gold Medals and Gold Medals with Distinction at the NYSSMA Major Ensemble festivals.
In 2013, the Select Chorale was invited to perform at the White House for President and Mrs. Obama, as well as other invited guests. In January of 2016, Mr. Norris and the Select Chorale performed in a concert tour of Italy, which included performances at St. Peter’s Basilica, the Church of San Lorenzo, and the Basilica of St. Francis. While on tour, the Chorale had the distinct honor to perform for His Holiness, Pope Francis at the Feast of the Epiphany at St. Peter’s. In 2018, the Select Chorale was invited to perform at the prestigious Music For All National Choral Festival with Dr. Andre Thomas, Dr. Jason Max Ferdinand, Dr. Brandon Boyd, and Maestro Stacey Gibbs. In 2023, the Select Chorale performed at the ACDA National Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they were featured performers in an opening night concert with Robyn Llana, Dr. Henry Leck, and Dr. Joe Miller. In June of 2025, the Chorale went on a concert tour in the UK, which included the European premiere of Dr. Jeffrey Ames’ Requiem for Colour as well as a performance of the Music of Ola Gjeilo with Ola Gjeilo at the piano. Both the Mixed Chorus and Select Chorale have performed at some of New York’s most prestigious performance venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and even Citi Field.
Mr. Norris is a contributing author of “Teaching with Heart” by Dr. Jason Max Ferdinand, as well as “Teaching Beyond the Music” by Dr. Jason Max Ferdinand, and serves on Dr. Ferdinand’s National Education Advisory Team. He, along with Dr. Ferdinand and the team, presented two sessions at the 2023 National ACDA Conference. Mr. Norris has also served as the choir chairperson for the NAfME (National Association for Music Education) All Eastern Choir and has served in leadership positions in NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) and NMEA (Nassau Music Educators Association). He is a sought-after clinician and conductor throughout the tri-state area.
About LIMEHOF
Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island’s musical and entertainment heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The organization, which encompasses New York State’s Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings (Brooklyn) Counties, was created as a place of community that inspires and explores Long Island music and entertainment in all its forms. In 2022, LIMEHOF opened its first Hall of Fame building location in Stony Brook Village. To date, the organization has inducted more than 130 musicians and music industry executives, and offers education programs, scholarships, and awards to Long Island students and educators.