Rob was born in Jamestown, New York, the only son of Robert and Phyllis Bissell Knipple. He started piano lessons in third grade and French horn two years later. He particularly enjoyed his study on the horn. After attending a junior academy in Jamestown, he enrolled at Union Springs Academy in New York state in his junior year, where he enthusiastically participated in the music program led by music teacher Charles Zacharias.

Following graduation from USA, he enrolled at Andrews University, where at the end of his freshman year, encouraged by Barbara Favorito, he decided to major in music. While at AU, he met Heidi Kershner, a singer and flutist, and when she transferred to La Sierra University in 1991, he enrolled at LSU, where he completed a B.Mus. degree in 1992. Rob and Heidi married in 1993 and have two children, Ryan and Hannah.

Knipple began his teaching career at Great Lakes Adventist Academy in Michigan, in 1997, where he gave lessons and directed the band, choir, and orchestra for seven years. He then taught music at Highland View Academy in Maryland and served as minister of music at the Fredericksburg Adventist church for three years. He also directed a handbell choir at HVA.

In 2007, he accepted a position at Fletcher Academy in North Carolina, where he taught voice and directed the choir and orchestra at the academy and served as minister of music at the Fletcher SDA church for four years. He toured with his choir to Russia on a two-week mission trip in 2010 that included performances in St. Petersburg and Moscow and a rehearsal and joint concert with the choir and orchestra at the Zaosky Seminary. The trip also included sightseeing in both London and Russia.

ds/2011