Amherst Town Band Picks New Conductor

The Amherst Town Band is pleased to announce the appointment of the next conductor of the band, Patrick Matthews. 

Patrick was born and raised in Nashua, New Hampshire. He attended Nashua High School North where he won the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award upon graduating in 2006. He continued his education at the University of Maine in Orono and pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education with alto saxophone as his majoring instrument.

While there, he traveled New England as the principal saxophonist in the UMaine Symphonic Band, performing in venues such as Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts and Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine. He was also a soloist for the band his senior year, as well as a regular soloist for the UMaine Jazz Ensemble of which he was the lead player for three years. 

He student taught in the Brewer School District for his capstone and was an assistant conductor for both the middle school and high school concert bands and jazz bands. He graduated from the university with his undergraduate degree in 2010. 

Patrick now resides in Nashua where he lives with his wife, Carly. He is currently a special education assistant at the Lewis F Soule Elementary School, a volunteer for the Salem High School Music Department, a member of the Hollis Town Band and the Windham Community Band. 

Patrick will take over full conductor responsibility for the band starting in September when the band’s current conductor, Patricia McMullen, steps down as conductor.

Patricia has been the band’s conductor since 2002. Under her leadership the band has expanded its annual performance schedule, with yearly concerts in the Nashua Summer Fun Series at Greeley Park, and the Summer Music Series at York Beach, Maine. The band also traveled to Wales during her tenure. When she steps down as conductor at the end of the summer, Patricia will remain with the band as a musician.