Abby Behr
Founder and Executive Director Emeritus Abby Behr was the co-founder and Executive Director of Nassau-Suffolk Performing Arts (1994–2024). In November of 2018, she was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame as the 2017 Educator of Note. Mrs. Behr was a past president of the Nassau County Chapter of the New York State Council of Music Administrators of Music Education and of the Nassau Music Educators Association. She had served on the New York State School Music Association Awards and Recognition Committee since 1998 and was the Eastern Division Chairperson of Tri-M Music Honor Society from 2000 to 2012. Mrs. Behr had been cited in several editions of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and was recognized for her commitment to music education at the 1996 New York State School Music Association’s County Presidents’ Assembly. She was awarded the New York State Congress of Parents and Teachers PTA Award for outstanding service to all children and youth in 1993 and 2002.

Abby Behr was the Director of Music and Art for the East Meadow Public Schools from 2001 until her retirement in January 2015. Under her leadership, the district had the distinction of being one of only twelve school districts in the United States recognized by the National Association for Music Education as having a Model Music Education Program, the only New York State school district selected as the recipient of the prestigious NYSSMA Presidential Citation Award twice, and awarded “One of the Best Communities for Music Education in America” annually by the NAMM Foundation. During her tenure as a teacher in East Meadow, she was a band director at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Mrs. Behr was also the chapter sponsor and advisor of East Meadow High School’s Tri-M Music Honor Society and served as the Color Guard Director of the marching band. She had taught music in the Brentwood, Lawrence, and East Meadow Public Schools. Mrs. Behr held a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Music and a Professional Degree in Educational Administration from Long Island University, C. W. Post College.