{"id":838,"date":"2017-04-04T13:16:58","date_gmt":"2017-04-04T13:16:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.musictravel.com\/blog\/?p=838"},"modified":"2019-12-06T11:12:00","modified_gmt":"2019-12-06T16:12:00","slug":"meet-music-travel-consultants-tour-director-teri-aitchison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musictravel.com\/blog\/2017\/04\/04\/meet-music-travel-consultants-tour-director-teri-aitchison\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet MTC Tour Director Teri Aitchison"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Music Travel\u2019s professional Tour Directors use their commitment and experience to ensure the music director\u2019s and the group\u2019s trip are successful.<\/h3>\n

Rest assured, if the unpredictable happens, your Tour Director is there, ready to tackle the unpredictable and get your trip back on track. When it comes to tour directing, Teri Aitchison is ready to treat you to an awesome trip, starting with that wonderful smile. Teri’s warm personality and impressive experience record are a plus to have with any group. It is rare to find someone who is this great at tour directing, but also so likable that groups are sad to see her go at the end of a trip.\u00a0 And, we actually got Teri to sit still for long enough to answer some questions. Enjoy!<\/p>\n

How long have you been a Tour Director for Music Travel Consultants? <\/strong>
\nTeri: Though it is hard for me to believe, my first solo trip, way back in 2000, was to Disney World with the Waldron High School Band. <\/em><\/p>\n

\"Teri
Teri Aitchison helped the Zionsville Orchestra explore Glen Coe, Scotland.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Do you have any background in music education? <\/strong>
\nTeri: I studied piano for six years and was also a member of my high school and church choirs. While my Bachelor\u2019s degree is in medical technology, I left the profession to raise my children. When they were all in school, I spent several years of substitute teaching in elementary music along with middle and high school band and choir. <\/em><\/p>\n

How did you get started tour directing? <\/strong>
\nTeri: My four sons were members of the New Castle band program where I also served as booster president for three terms. The New Castle Music Department uses Music Travel Consultants as their travel planner and on a Philadelphia\/New York City trip during Thanksgiving week of 1996; I had the good fortune to cross paths with the lead tour director, Jef Furr. Soon after, he contacted me about coming on board with MTC but with three of my sons still in middle and high school, the timing just wasn\u2019t right. I am forever grateful that he kept asking as this part-time job has been a dream come true for a reluctant empty-nester with a love for all things involving travel and the performing arts! <\/em><\/p>\n

\"Teri
Teri Aitchison led Bedford (IN) Middle School Band when it visited Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral – constructed of Bedford (IN) limestone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How many total trips have you tour directed? <\/strong>
\nTeri: In early April 2017, I\u2019ll be boarding a motorcoach bound for Atlanta for what will be my 200th trip!<\/strong> I\u2019ve actually kept a record of all of the groups I\u2019ve been privileged to travel with \u2013 reviewing it now and again always brings back great memories. <\/em><\/p>\n

What is the hardest part of being a successful MTC Tour Director? <\/strong>
\nTeri: Having experienced the client-side of the equation, I understand the high standard of excellence our clients expect – not only for a well-run trip that includes our travelers receiving everything they\u2019ve paid for, but also that all vendors deliver that same level of customer service and attention to detail that our company provides. There is nothing more frustrating to a tour director than a vendor who does not meet our expectations. It is always my goal to use every resource at my disposal to address and correct any deficiencies as they occur. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Teri’s favorite memory from Venice, Italy!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is the largest group you have tour directed for? <\/strong>
\nTeri: I\u2019ve traveled with groups of nearly 200 to both New York City and Disney as the only TD on the trip. In each of the past five years, I\u2019ve been asked to serve as a tour director for our \u201dFamily and Friends\u201d groups traveling to Southern California, in support of their band student marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Each of these groups had included 200 to over 400 participants. With these very large groups, MTC has a team of both staff and TDs in place to make certain we can address each client’s needs.<\/em><\/p>\n

Is there something you wish travelers knew before the trip departs? <\/strong>
\nTeri: The travel\/chaperone tips included in Music Travel’s itinerary booklets do an excellent job of outlining what to expect on an MTC trip. The trick is getting the travelers, especially the chaperones, to read the material! Many times, particularly with \u201cbig city\u201d destinations involving festivals, clinics, workshops and\/or parades, the schedule is set by the sponsoring entity with little room for last minute adjustments. This often makes travelers feel as though they\u2019ve been made to \u201churry up and wait.\u201d And while we\u2019d all love to enjoy that second or third cup of coffee at the group\u2019s dinner venue, loading everyone onto the coaches to transfer to the theatre takes time. Traveling with large groups of students is not going to be like your family vacation, but the rewards and memories can be just as special. <\/em><\/p>\n

\"Teri
Teri Aitchison at Saint Peter’s Square, Rome.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What’s your proudest moment?\u00a0 Tell us about a time when you were there that made a difference. <\/strong>
\nTeri: My proudest moment on any trip is watching the group\u2019s performance. Many are the times I\u2019ve shed tears right along with the parents and grandparents as they watch their student march in that special parade, take the field in competition, sing at Carnegie Hall or any number of special performance venues. <\/em><\/p>\n

Making a difference can be something as simple as replacing a single lost ticket, all the way up to securing airport meal vouchers for an entire group when a flight was delayed and the cost of an extra meal was not anticipated. My mantra has always been that it never hurts to ask for the moon on behalf of our travelers when things aren\u2019t going exactly to plan. <\/em><\/p>\n

What is your favorite place to travel\/visit with and without groups? <\/strong>
\nTeri: I would be hard-pressed to name just one favorite as I\u2019ve loved each and every destination I\u2019ve visited with my groups over these many years \u2013 from the east coast to the west coast, as far north as Toronto, Canada to as far south as the Bahamas along with overseas trips to Scotland and Italy \u2013 each becomes a favorite because of the people I\u2019ve met during the journey. Sharing the excitement of a student seeing the ocean for the first time, attending their first Broadway show, their first time boarding an airplane or placing higher than the previous year at BOA Grand Nationals \u2013 the list of \u201cfirsts\u201d is endless. While I came to MTC as a seasoned traveler, ( in fact, with the exception of Italy, there hasn\u2019t been a destination I haven\u2019t first visited with my own family), it\u2019s seeing it all through the fresh eyes of a first time visitor that keeps me returning to such destinations as Disney World (my 126th visit there is Spring, 2017!). <\/em><\/p>\n

My husband and I have our own bucket list of destinations yet to explore. Last summer included a trip to the Canadian Rockies and tentative plans for 2017 include one to Nova Scotia. <\/em><\/p>\n

\"Teri
Teri Aitchison had a great time with the Trojan Marching Band sax line at Disney’s All Star Music Resort.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What does it take to be a successful MTC Tour Director? <\/strong>
\nTeri: It goes without saying that being organized as well as being a self-starter are important tools for success. Pre-trip \u201chomework\u201d is also a must. While cell phones, along with a plethora of travel apps, have certainly simplified life on the road, these are no substitutes for being armed with a solid working knowledge of the itinerary and the various places the group will be visiting. And while MTC\u2019s top-notch Operations Department takes care of securing vendor contracts, as well as providing the TDs with location details and contacts, it is important to reconfirm all of these details in advance of the group\u2019s arrival. <\/em><\/p>\n

Learning to read the group is also an important part of being a successful TD. New directors or first-time travelers may need a more \u201chands-on\u201d approach while seasoned veterans may prefer the TD deals only with vendors. <\/em><\/p>\n

When asked why I willingly travel thousands of miles with someone else\u2019s teenage children, I often make the comment that I don\u2019t travel with just any teenagers. I\u2019ve found music students often possess a higher level of maturity than the average high school student. However, in the end, they are still kids and, as the saying goes: Kids will be kids. Keeping your sense of humor can go a long way in setting the positive tone needed following an overnight ride on a motorcoach and a full day of touring yet to come before checking into the hotel. <\/em><\/p>\n

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“Teri is one of our best Tour Directors. She runs a great trip. Her favorite trips are to Walt Disney World and I call her Miss Disney! I think she has done almost 130 trips to this destination! That is a lot of Mouse!”<\/p>\n