Jesse Backes

Assistant Director of Sales

Jesse Backes is an Indianapolis resident, living happily with his fiancé Alison and his two wild Boston Terriers Charlie and Goomba. Backes comes to MTC after almost 20 years in music and education as a performer, teacher, designer, clinician and judge. He holds a degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

Growing up near Chicago, Backes began with his high school program and quickly moved into the independent competitive arena. He performed with Green Thunder Percussion (2007-09), the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps (2010), Gateway Indoor (2011), and The Cavaliers (2011-13). This time included a DCI high percussion award and performances at the Midwest Clinic, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) and abroad in the Czech Republic and Germany.

As Jesse wrapped up his performance career, he moved on to teach with Green Thunder and then Cavaliers Indoor Percussion (2012-18), Phantom Regiment (2014-16), Marian Catholic HS (IL) (2013-18). He was also a freelance percussion teacher, working as a percussion director with multiple programs, providing clinics to nearly a dozen others and maintaining a private lesson studio of around 50 students.

Most recently, he was the percussion director at Fishers HS (IN). During his tenure the group earned two WGI Percussion Concert World Class gold medals while the marching band achieved its first BOA Grand National Finals appearance in 2022. Jesse’s first year with Fishers included the joy of traveling with Fishers and MTC to Disney World and the Macy’s Parade in 2023.

After his time with Phantom Regiment, Jesse returned home to join The Cavaliers percussion education team in 2017. He was a presenter with The Cavaliers at the 2020 PASIC. Outside of drum corps, he has designed for nearly a dozen high school and collegiate marching band and indoor percussion programs and judges in multiple marching band circuits.

Through his career as a teacher, many of Jesse’s most endearing memories are of traveling because of music. Forty-seven states and three countries later, Jesse is excited to be a part of the MTC team helping many more travelers create these same joyous lifetime memories. In his free time, Jesse enjoys his time with Alison and the boys, playing disc golf, exploring wineries, experiencing live music and chasing the dogs around yards.


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