Atherton Award Recipient
Nick Hansberry, 2014

Nick Hansberry
Sousaphone & Drum Major

Nick Hansberry teaches band and music courses at Waconia High School and has been a member of the department since 2021.  During the school day, Nick sees 4 curricular bands: the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Varsity Band.  He also teaches or co-teaches courses in music theory and music appreciation.  Outside of the day, he directs two of the high school jazz bands, the pep band, the fall musical pit and the Waconia High School Marching Band.

Nick is a proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where he earned his Bachelor of Music Education-Instrumental (2015) and his Master of Music in Music Education at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, MN (2023). Upon graduation from UW-Eau Claire, Nick accepted the Associate Director of Bands position at La Crosse Central High School in La Crosse, WI from 2016-2019 and served as the director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the La Crosse Area Youth Symphony Orchestra. Nick then relocated to Colorado and served as the Director of Instrumental Music at Arvada West High School in Arvada, CO from 2019-2021.

A strong advocate for the marching arts, Nick has served on the staff of various marching bands and drum corps, most recently on the visual staff of the Blue Knights based in Denver, CO. In addition to his teaching of marching bands, Nick has also served as an adjudicator, designer, and consultant throughout Wisconsin and the Twin Cities area.

During his time at UW-Eau Claire, Nick was a member of the tuba studio, Wind Symphony, BASSically Brass, and the Blugold Marching Band where he served three seasons as Drum Major. During this time, Nick was also fortunate enough to serve as a student conductor of the University Band, winner of the annual conducting competition, and was awarded the Donald S. George Musicianship Award from the UWEC Band Department and the Brandon Atherton Award from the Blugold Marching Band.

“The Blugold Marching Band was one of the more impactful experiences that I had at my time at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Not only did it provide me a space to feel connected to one of my passions but also a place of security and confidence to be the very best I could due to the strong connections I made with my peers. Outside of the social connections, the BMB provided me with the "large school" experience while attending UWEC. The game day experience, rivalries, and traditions made me feel like a Big Ten school with the personal connections to professors and the campus at large. I am grateful for my time in BMB and excited to see its continued growth.”