Smithtown Resident, Glen Cove Choir Director Wins 2025 LIMEHOF Educator Of Note Award

SMITHTOWN, NY — Smithtown resident and Glen Cove High School Director of Choral Music Edward Norris III has been named the 2025 Educator of Note by the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF), recognizing more than two decades of impact in music education.

Norris accepted the award during a ceremony at LIMEHOF’s Stony Brook location, where he was presented the honor by 2024 Educator of Note Craig Knapp. The event featured performances by students from the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra and Glen Cove High School.

“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 the organization’s education programs.

Norris, who has spent 23 years in music education, is the 19th Long Island teacher to receive the Educator of Note Award since its inception in 2007. The honor recognizes educators who demonstrate a commitment to music education, community involvement, and a lasting impact on students of all backgrounds.

“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,” Norris said. “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.”

Norris serves as director of choral music at Glen Cove High School, where he leads the Mixed Chorus and Select Chorale and teaches Music Theory and AP Music Theory. He also conducts the Nassau Chamber Chorale for the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra and serves as an adjunct professor, teaching choral music education and conducting at both Long Island University and the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.

A graduate of the Aaron Copland School of Music, Norris earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education while studying under Dr. Lawrence Eisman. Under his leadership, Glen Cove’s choral ensembles have consistently earned Gold Medals and Gold Medals with Distinction at NYSSMA Major Ensemble festivals.

Throughout his career, Norris has led students to perform at some of the nation’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. His ensembles have also performed internationally, including a tour of Italy with a performance at St. Peter’s Basilica and an appearance for Pope Francis, as well as a 2025 tour of the United Kingdom.

Norris has also contributed to the broader field of music education as a co-author of books by Dr. Jason Max Ferdinand and through leadership roles in organizations such as NYSSMA and the Nassau Music Educators Association. He has served as a clinician and conductor across the tri-state area.

Nominations for the next Educator of Note Award are open through Oct. 2, according to LIMEHOF.