The Long Island Philharmonic , based in Melville, New York was founded in 1979 by folk singer Harry Chapin, Maestro Christopher Keene, and a group of Long Island's community and business leaders. On February 8, 2016, an announcement was made that the group would permanently disband effective immediately. [1] Contents 1 History 1.1 Founding 1.2 The Keene years 1.3 The Alsop years 1.4 Recent history 2 Community acceptance 3 Long Island Philharmonic Chorus 4 Legacy 5 List of conductors / music directors 6 Awards and honors 7 References 8 External links History Founding Harry Chapin moved to Long Island in 1972, and almost at once began using his celebrity status to improve his new hometown. "He thought Long Island represented a remarkable opportunity," said Chapin's widow, Sandy. [2] At his encouragement, a group of Long Island business leaders agreed to fund the formation of the Orchestra, under