S. McNaughton Memorial Scholarship

In honor of Stephen McNaughton, we are creating a scholarship fund for music students in Middle Country School District. All donations to this fund will go directly to the scholarship, which will be awarded to a graduating music student every year (as long as funds allow!).

Steve was a great educator, and an honest, intelligent, and well-spoken man. He truly loved what he did - his career was not just a job, it was his passion. He took great pleasure in contributing to the community and strove to make a positive impact on as many lives as possible.

Since his passing, there has been an incredible outpouring of love and support from former students and colleagues; so many of them have shared beautiful stories about the positive impact he had as a friend, mentor and teacher.

We hope to continue his legacy with this memorial scholarship; please donate if you’d like to honor Steve’s memory and his passion for music and education in the local community. We truly appreciate your support. 

We will also be gathering to raise funds for the scholarship and honor Steve with the Steve McNaughton Memorial Concert  on Saturday, June 2nd, 2018, 7pm at Newfield High School in Selden, NY. All are welcome. Please join us for a night of music for a good cause!





Steve McNaughton - A Life of Music

Steve passed away peacefully on March 22nd, 2018, at age 67, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

He was born and raised in Coeymans, NY. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam (where he studied clarinet), and also earned a Masters degree from SUNY Stony Brook.

Steve worked in the Middle Country School District for 32 years, where he shared his love of music with hundreds of students. He began at Oxhead Road Elementary School, moved on to Holbrook Road Elementary School and then taught at Newfield High School for 20 years. There he conducted the marching band, concert band, jazz ensemble and the pit orchestra for 19 musicals.



He conducted his favorite musical (and by far the most challenging!) his very first year at Newfield; it was West Side Story.  In 2006, the year he retired, he conducted another favorite; Les Miserables.



Music was a huge part of Steve’s life. The Gustav Holst 1st Suite in E flat was one of his absolute favorites. Broadway show tunes were classic Steve listening material, particularly Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story and Les Miserables.  He enjoyed listening to and conducting various movie soundtracks (especially anything by John Williams), and so many other classical pieces. He also had a fondness for Barbra Streisand (?!?!), particularly her ‘Back To Broadway’ album. At Christmas time, Robert Shaw Chorale, Manhattan Transfer and the Canadian Brass were staples.
 
He loved to conduct whatever piece he was listening to - in the car, in the house, anywhere, anytime.

One of the most beautiful moments shortly before his passing happened at Stony Brook hospital. Two music therapy interns came into his room, hesitant to enter when there were family members present. They started with live classical Spanish guitar, and his eyes were open, his attention was completely focused at a time when he slept nearly 24 hours a day.

Then they began singing ‘Somewhere’ from West Side Story. At this point in his illness, Steve often couldn’t even speak - but he sang along to the entire song, word for word, note for note. Later that day he sang the entire way through ‘Maria,’ and hummed through Beethoven’s 9th symphony with his son, Ryan.

These moments were an absolute gift.

Steve was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and brother. He leaves behind his wife, Constance Nola McNaughton; two children, Ryan & his wife Anastasia, and Marissa McNaughton; his grandson, Kirill Sebastian McNaughton; and his brothers, Michael, David and Jeffrey McNaughton. We hope he is reunited with his parents, Malcolm & Antoinette McNaughton, and his sister, Christine McNaughton Mara, somewhere up in the heavens.


Scholarship Details

The Stephen McNaughton Memorial Scholarship will be administered by the Middle Country Teachers Association every year. Steve’s family (Constance, Ryan & Marissa) will work closely with the MCTA and Middle Country music educators to create a scholarship application and then choose each year’s recipient. 

Candidates will be any student in the music education program who shows dedication to and love for music (note: seeking a music degree in college is not required). The yearly scholarship amount will be determined by how much we raise through the scholarship fund.

If you’d prefer to mail a check instead of donating online through this website, please email [email redacted] and mention the scholarship in the subject line.

All online donations, checks and proceeds from the Memorial Concert will go directly to the scholarship fund.

We cannot thank you enough for your support.