About the Band

The Nashoba Valley Concert Band is a volunteer, non-profit organization of musicians from Ayer, Shirley, Harvard, Groton, Westford, Littleton and surrounding towns dedicated to the preservation of the town band experience through the performance of traditional and modern concert band music for public enjoyment and personal satisfaction.    

The Band plays public concerts throughout the year, participates in parades, and performs at various functions for the entertainment of the public.  The Band offers local school students an opportunity to play and perform with an organized group (especially during the summer months) with the hope that this experience will make us all better musicians. 

In the Spring, the Band has appeared in Harvard at the Apple Blossom Festival and Memorial Day events. During the summer, we play in Fourth of July parades and many concerts throughout the Nashoba Valley community.  In the fall, you can hear the band at the Ayer Rotary's Senior Citizens Barbecue and other fall festivals.  In the winter, we play for many tree lightings and various Holiday events. The Band has entertained the residents of Seven Hills Pediatric Center in Groton, Apple Valley Continuing Care Center in Ayer, Life Care of Nashoba Valley in Littleton and Westford Rehabilitation Center, at the holidays and throughout the year. 

Our conductor is Rob Hammerton.  Rob has served as Choir Director at Sudbury United Methodist Church since 2001.  He was a Massachusetts public school music teacher for fifteen years, and from 2002 to 2006 was Director of Athletic Bands at the College of the Holy Cross.

Our assistant conductor is Tim Olevsky.  Tim is the Band Director and Instrumental Music Instructor at Ryan Elementary and Wynn Middle Schools in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.

Our assistant conductor emerita is Rachael Fletcher.  She is the current Band Director at Ayer Shirley Regional Middle School in Shirley, Massachusetts.

Our conductor emeritus is John Blackwell.  John led the NVCB from 2001 - 2022 and continues to play with the band.  Before NVCB, John was the Band and Choral Conductor at Oakmont Regional High School in Ashburnham, Massachusetts.

The Band's first performance was on Independence Day, 1976.  Originally called The Harvard Town Band, the Band was formed as part of the national Bicentennial celebrations in Harvard, Massachusetts.  

In 2007, we changed our name to the Nashoba Valley Concert Band to better reflect the regional nature of both our membership and our performances.  

If you are interested in having the Nashoba Valley Concert Band perform at your event, please contact us at scheduling@nashobavalleyconcertband.org.

We can provide a full concert band, or a smaller group for parades or holiday caroling events.

The Band is governed by a Board.  The Board is responsible for policy decision-making, financial record keeping, and communication with the membership.  The Board consists of five officers and up to five members-at-large.

Members of the Board are elected each year by the entire band at an annual meeting in January.  Our conductor is a permanent member of the Board.  The elected Board members then vote on the officers for the year.