Staff Focus: Greg Knauf, Music Teacher, Reservoir High School

March 11th, 2026

Dr. Greg Knauf has been directing choral activities at Reservoir High School (RHS) since the school opened its doors in 2002. At the time, the Baltimore native figured he’d stay four to five years; long enough to establish a choral program at the school and see the first couple of classes graduate.

“I liked the idea of working at a new school and starting a program from scratch,” he recalls, “but I thought once I did that, I’d go on to do other things.”

Having earned a master’s in choral conducting and a doctorate in both choral conducting and composition, Knauf anticipated that those “other things” would take him elsewhere, perhaps a college campus. Instead, Knauf found himself increasingly invested in building the RHS choral community.

“As the school grew, I added a Chamber Choir class and started an after-school treble choir and a tenor-bass choir,” Knauf recalls. Later, he worked with his students to establish an extracurricular a cappella choir at the school.

That investment of time and energy has paid off in spades, Knauf says.

“My students and I have done so many amazing things together over the years. We’ve caroled at senior centers and sung with the Washington Chorus and National Philharmonic; we’ve premiered new musical compositions; we’ve sung at the White House twice,” he recalls.

While such experiences have certainly been career highlights, Knauf says they tell only part of the story of why he has chosen to spend the last 24 years at RHS.

“There are so many things I value about RHS that have kept me coming back year after year,” he says. “I love the diverse student body, as well as the enthusiasm the students bring to our work. They really understand what we are trying to do as a department and work hard to help us achieve it.”

At the same time, Knauf says he’s appreciated the variety of opportunities he’s had to engage with and support the RHS fine arts program over the years, including overseeing technical elements for school plays and musicals.

Knauf also credits the strong support he has received from the school community in his decision to remain at RHS for more than two decades.

“All the way along, parents and administrators have been there, advocating for our music program and helping to ensure we have the resources we need,” he says.

Knauf cites his relationship with his RHS music department colleagues as another key factor in his deep and longstanding commitment to RHS.

“We do everything together as a department. We lean on each other’s skills and expertise and are truly collaborative in everything we do,” Knauf notes, adding, “We also have incredible continuity. Many of us started at RHS together and have become wonderful colleagues over the years.”

As Knauf reflects on his career at RHS, as well as the impact he wants to continue to make at the school, he says one thing is clear: he hopes students find a place of belonging and community in his classes.

“I hope that the music department is a safe place for students to feel free to be themselves with no judgement, and a place where students can learn that they each have a voice worth sharing—not just their singing voices, but more importantly that each and every one of them knows they have something of value to share with the world,” he says.

Moreover, Knauf hopes that his students come away with a shared sense of purpose and an appreciation for the power of music.

As he notes, “Performing arts ensembles bring together students from all different backgrounds, and I hope students see that despite all of the differences in an ensemble, we work together to create something beautiful and meaningful. I love that choir exposes students to many different cultures from around the world, and I hope that sparks a curiosity in students to learn more about people different than themselves. I hope that students learn that music can be much more than entertainment—it can be a means of self-expression, a balm for those that are hurting, a way to build community, and a beacon for social awareness.“