Patricia Koppeis
Music Director Emeritus
Public school music and church music programs in Charlotte, North Carolina set Patricia Koppeis on her path to becoming a professional performer and teacher. She attended UNC-CH, received her Bachelor’s Degree from New England Conservatory, and completed her Master’s Degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. As a professional violinist, she has performed in North Carolina, New York, Southeastern US, and Italy. Her inspiration for teaching was influenced by her training and professional contact with conductors Claude Monteux, Sir Neville Marriner, Russell Sanger, and Benjamin Zander. Her violin teachers Lilo Glick and Eric Rosenblith inspired her to guide her students to the highest musical levels. During her thirty-five year teaching career in the Syosset Central School District (teaching all levels of strings), her orchestras consistently achieved the highest NYSSMA Major Ensemble ratings and were invited to perform at state and national music conferences. Her students have performed with jazz leaders such as Dave Brubeck, Dr. Billy Taylor, and Dr. Bert Konowitz and have worked with the Metropolitan Opera conductor, Paul Nadler. A frequent clinician and guest conductor, Ms. Koppeis has conducted several Area All-State, All County, LISFA, and Sewanhaka Central High School All-District Festivals. For many summers, she conducted the String Orchestra for the NYSSSA Orchestral Studies Program. Her professional memberships include NYSSMA, NAfME, NMEA, LISFA, and ASTA, and she served as Tri-M Chairperson on both the state and national level. Ms. Koppeis began conducting for MYO in 1997 and continues to conduct the Nassau Symphony Orchestra.