
Meet Your State Coordinator: Tim Anderson
We’re thrilled to announce that students in Massachusetts will now be eligible for nomination for our Ambassadors of Music program!
Tim Anderson, director of the Minutemen Marching Band at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has joined our Ambassadors of Music team as state coordinator for Massachusetts and we couldn’t be more excited. We’ve partnered with Tim for many years, most recently at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York City where his Minutemen took center stage.
Here’s a little bit about Tim:
He’s passionate about music education and performance.
I’m the director of the Minuteman Marching Band at UMass Amherst, where I’ve been since 2011. I also direct the Concert Band and teach a few courses.
Prior to that, I was the marching band director at Fresno State, in California. I grew up near Sacramento, but went to college at the University of Iowa, where I was a proud member of the Hawkeye Marching Band. My career began at West Marshall Middle and High School in State Center, Iowa. I later earned a Master of Music from the University of Florida and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Illinois.
He’s got big love for California.
To quote the Mamas and the Papas, “In LA, you know where that’s at.” Much of my family lived in the Los Angeles area, and I spent many a summer there. When I returned to CA to teach at Fresno State, I realized just how magical a place Los Angeles is. From the beaches to the foothills and the base of the mountains, from Disneyland to Hollywood, the Rose Bowl to Major League Baseball, there’s something magical there.
He can’t wait to share what Massachusetts performers can do.
Massachusetts may be one of the oldest states in the Union, but our wonderful school music programs are not as well known. Everyone knows about music groups from Texas, from Florida, from the Chicago suburbs, etc. The Ambassadors of Music program gives us a chance to show on an international stage the kind of talented musicians we have right here in the Commonwealth!
Fun Facts:
He can’t travel without his trusty Red Sox cap.
I’ve had it since July 2012. It’s taken a beating, but it still fits great. I have to represent the hometown team!
He’s most excited about visiting England.
As an Anglophile, London is tops for me. And as a lover of Gilbert and Sullivan, how could I not visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, to pay homage to the final resting place of one of my absolute heroes, Sir Arthur Sullivan!
If he could only take one selfie, it has to be with his hero.
Only one selfie? I’ve got to go with my first answer. Me and Sir Arthur! Or at least his memorial!
Thank you for sharing, Tim! We can’t wait for the first Massachusetts trip with AOM in 2026!
To learn more about the Ambassadors of Music Program and connect with the state coordinator in your area, visit our State page.