Being a Part of Music Travel Consultants
On April 1st of 2014, four Music Travel Consultants employees were faced with a big decision. Mark Harting, Jef Furr, Ryan Morris and Rick Campbell stepped up to the plate and became owners and leaders of Music Travel Consultants. Changes had to be made quickly, in almost every way imaginable. But the most important thing that did not change was that ALL staff, tour directors, and clients remained “on board.” All are still here, three years later. Why? Because everyone who is a part of MTC knows they are making a difference by creating educational, memorable and rewarding student travel experiences. There is nothing better than seeing a student’s mind and world being opened up by the experience of performing at Carnegie Hall, marching down Main Street at Walt Disney World, or singing in a packed cathedral in Florence, Italy. It is a great feeling when everyone at the company cares more about results and doing what’s right than they do about getting credit for the work involved. The dedication of Music Travel staffers to its clients and to the company makes working at MTC a joint adventure, much more than just a job.
The conscientiousness Music Travel Consultants brings to its client and internal relationships is striking. When speaking with staff members, it’s very evident that they are proud to be part of such a thoughtful, creative, and genuine group of people.
Having Mark, Jef, Rick, and Ryan lead the team has been a blessing. Because each of them started from humble beginnings within the company, they have experienced and met the challenges each part of the company faces. They also understand how to move forward, how to offer better trips and experiences and how to focus on exactly what Music Directors and educators need to offer their students a set of memories that last a lifetime. Here’s a few quotes from employees and travelers:
“My first exposure to Music Travel Consultants was actually as a traveler with my high school band, traveling to Italy. I was blown away by the experience. From sign-ups through departure and return, I always felt so well taken care of and valued. After graduating high school, I began tour directing for MTC. Getting to know the staff deepened my passion for the company as one which values its clients, travelers, and employees. Since joining the team, I have enjoyed watching us continue to grow and provide unique, world-class travel experiences to an ever-broadening community of teachers, students, and parents.”
“Even though I do not have a musical background myself, when my three children joined their high school band program, I became involved in a world I never knew existed! The life skills they learned and the experiences they had enriched their lives immensely. I feel so fortunate that my involvement as an active band parent led to a connection to Music Travel Consultants, and eventually the opportunity to join the team as a tour director nine years ago. It was as if a job was designed personally for me! Every trip I take makes me appreciate MTC even more than the one before. The opportunities to see new places, to meet outstanding music educators and student performers, and to facilitate incredible, enriching experiences for thousands of high schoolers every year is a gift I never take for granted. What I appreciate most about MTC is that when I head out on a trip, I do it with the full confidence that even if I am the only TD on the road, I am never, ever “alone”. I have an entire team of people, from the top execs to everyone else in the office, backing me up and ready to do whatever it takes to make my trip successful. This isn’t a large, faceless company that only pays lip service to what it means to serve its clients and employees. These are people who have worked hard to make MTC into a company to be proud of, a company that provides its clients and employees the best possible experiences. Thank you, MTC!”
“From the first time I was introduced to the people at Music Travel Consultants, I was blown away by the level of dedication and passion everyone had for providing young musicians with life-changing travel experiences around the world. Today, I feel pretty fortunate to be a part of such an ensemble. In today’s world, it is a special thing to have leaders that value their staff, their staff’s family, doing the right thing, and most of all, completely understanding that client relationships are the foundation of our business. It is always fun to run into a student, former student, band parent, or music director that has had their life changed by a trip with MTC. And that is what drives me.”
“Thank you so much for what your company has done for our family. Each person I spoke to handled the situation with kindness and expertise. I never felt anything but kindness and caring from each person from the company I spoke to. I just wanted MTC to know that in this day and age I felt like the customer for the first time in a long time.”
“As director of bands at Stephen F. Austin H.S., TX, I took groups to Carnegie Hall, Midwest Clinic, and two Bands of America Grand National educational performance trips. Our trip with Music Travel Consultants was, without question, the best organized and most memorable in my 21 years of teaching. Amazing…”
Please contact Music Travel Consultants to start planning your group’s next trip!
