When performing music, the quality of a show depends on the skills, development and personalities of the characters. Travel is a show for your students, and it depends no less on the quality of the travel company and its team that creates, operates and directs your trip. Meet the finest assemblage of caring, experienced and personable music travel people working today. Our award-winning team consist of several distinguished former music directors and over a century and a half of experience in the music industry.
Gary Wishmeyer - Account Executive
When you think, dedication and service to music education, you think, Gary Wishmeyer. During his 40 year teaching career, “Wish” has earned almost every honor available to an Indiana music educator:
• President of Indiana School Music Association
• President of Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA)
• ISSMA Presidential Award, 1981 and 1991
• ISSMA Distinguished Service Award, 1982, 1987, 1991
• Ben Davis H.S. Senior (class) Choice Award, 10 times
• Who’s Who Among American Teachers, 12 times
• Who’s Who in Music Education 8 times
• Indiana Bandmasters Hall of Fame, inducted in 2006
Wish’s jazz bands have been finalists at the New Jersey State, Berkley, Notre Dame and Elmhurst Jazz Festivals. Concert bands under his baton have performed at the Indiana Music Education Association State Convention and at Clowes Hall of Butler University. They’ve been named finalists 12 times in the ISSMA State Concert Band competition. Wish has marched with his bands 3 times each in the Tournament of Roses and Fiesta Bowl parades, in the King Orange Jamboree Parade and in President Reagan’s 1985 Inaugural Parade. His students have won the ISSMA State Marching Band Class A State Championship 7 times, and they have been Bands of America Grand National Finalists 4 times, national runner-up once and the Open Division Champion in 1983. Former students now teach music throughout the United States.
Wish has judged for Drum Corps International (DCI) and Winter Guard International (WGI), and he’s in great demand as a clinician and guest conductor around the country. Currently, Wish is Supervisor of Student Teachers in Music Education for Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
Mark Harting - Vice President
Mark Harting is devoted to music performance and education. In high school, he studied at the North Carolina School for the Performing Arts. A Ball State University Young Artists Scholarship recipient, Mark earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education in 1989. He was the assistant band director and assistant choir director at LaPorte High School (IN) and served as music department chair at Frankton High School (IN). The 1998 Concerto Competition winner at the University of Louisville, Mark taught brass methods and marching band techniques classes while working on his master’s degree in conducting at University of Louisville.
Mark’s marching and concert bands at La Porte and Frankton high schools received consistent superior ratings. His winter guards made the Indiana High School Color Guard Association finals seven times, were IHSCGA State Champions in 1996, and were Winter Guard International World Championship finalists four times. Mark has served on the boards of directors for both Winter Guard International and the Indiana High School Color Guard Association.
In 1997, Mark began a career as a student travel planner at Music Travel Consultants. Since then, he has been an adjudicator and clinician throughout the Midwest, and he’s taught private lessons and chamber ensembles at Avon (IN) High School. Currently, Mark serves on the marching band staff of Avon High School’s Marching Black and Gold. So far during his tenure, the band has been crowned ISSMA State Marching Band Champions 9 times. It has been a BOA Grand National finalist 9 times, and the BOA Grand National Champions in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Mark Ferrell - Account Executive
A self-confessed "band addict," Mark Ferrell's love of music and band began during his marching days at Norwell (IN) High School. Enrolling in music education at Indiana-Purdue University in Fort Wayne, IN, Mark majored in voice, singing with the University Choir, Madrigal Singers, University Opera and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Chorus. He went on to Butler University, completing his degree in Music Education and Arts Administration. While at Butler, summers found him volunteering with Bands of America at its Summer Music Games.
A wide range of business and education credits have defined Mark's professional career. He has been Development Director for the Indianapolis Arts Chorale, Business Manager at the Indianapolis Men's Chorus, a private voice and piano instructor, and he's served his church as tenor soloist. He also completed an internship with the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Travel work was a natural migration for Mark, and he's worked on both the group and individual sides of the business. Mark's unique blend of experience in the arts and in business makes him highly attuned to performing group needs and superbly able to meet them.
Jef Furr - Senior Vice President
Travel and music are always Jef Furr's choices for fun and adventure! A trombone player at Noblesville (IN) Middle School, Jef honed his talents and graduated from Ball State University with a B.S. in Music Education. While his sisters gravitated straight to travel careers (a flight attendant and Holland America Cruises representative), Jef taught for 16 years before working in student travel full-time.
After stints at North Miami (IN) and Alexandria-Monroe (IN) high schools, Jef moved to Southport High School in Indianapolis as Band Director and, later, Music Department Chair. Following 1986's featured performance by Jef and the Southport Band in the classic film, "Hoosiers," Jef realized a life-long dream as the band won the coveted 1987 Indiana State Fair Band Day Competition. He capped the year with the band's performance in the 1987 Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Philadelphia's Thanksgiving Parade in 1991 featured the Southport Band as the opening act, and in 1992, Jef's Southport Winter Guard garnered first place in both Indiana's and Winter Guard International's annual competitions. His concert bands placed within the top eight in Indiana four times.
Once Jef assisted as a Tour Escort for an Orange Bowl-bound band, nearly every school vacation thereafter found him guiding a student group throughout the USA or Europe. In 1994 he joined Music Travel Consultants full-time. Although he travels frequently, Jef still finds time to appear regularly as a trombonist at his church and in local theatre productions.
Michael Gray - Account Executive
When it comes to travel, no one loves the road more than Michael. This avid road tripper likes nothing better than to pile some friends in a car and just start driving, with no destination in mind! Michael has driven cross country multiple times and loves visiting odd-ball roadside attractions and seeking out delicious food in quirky or quaint local restaurants and vending machines. When not on the road, you can find Michael golfing or tailgating at a football game. His personal commitment to customer service, combined with his wealth of sales experience, has impacted the MTC team in a very positive way. While visiting clients throughout the country, Michael has been a breath of fresh air for many teachers. No group or question is too small for this personable, thorough researcher.
Chris Forsythe - Account Executive
Chris Forsythe has always had a passion for music and the arts. Growing up on the west side of Indianapolis, Chris played tuba in the Avon High School Band program, studying privately with Music Travel’s own Mark Harting! His experience in speech and musical theater has been an asset in the education world and travel industry. He studied music education at the University of Louisville and Ball State University, completing a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. He served as the Director of Bands at Lone Oak High School in Paducah, KY and Assistant Director of Bands at Pendleton Heights High School in Pendleton, IN. When an opportunity arose to join the Music Travel Consultants team, he eagerly accepted. Chris continues to be active in the Indianapolis music scene as a member of the Indiana Wind Symphony and Hendricks Symphony Orchestra. He also works on staff with the Franklin Central High School Marching Band. From drum corps to bike riding in the summer to college basketball, Chris’ interest are diverse, and his attention to detail is the perfect fit to make every trip the best possible experience for all involved.
Jeff Buchanan - Account Executive
A longtime Ohio school music teacher and 2002 Teacher of the Year, Jeff Buchanan is an alumnus of Medina High School (Ohio) and Bowling Green State University. He served on the OMEA State Board as District II President and Technology Rep, and he’s a past-president of the BGSU Alumni Band Board of Directors. Jeff’s bands received numerous superior ratings at OMEA adjudicated events, and he is a former director of the Heidelberg College Brass Band. An active composer and arranger, his commissioned works for marching band have been performed from Hawaii to England. Jeff has been a featured Euphonium soloist with the North Coast Concert Band and Heidelberg Brass Band. He is an active participant in community theatre with his wife, Laura.
Having been a Drum Corps enthusiast for many years, Jeff found his way to Illinois State University in the mid-1990's for the BOA Summer Symposium, and the seeds were planted for a post-teaching career in the music industry. Jeff served as a regional sales rep with Music Technology firms Lentine's Education Technology and SoundTree before bringing his diverse background to MTC. He has participated in countless trips as a music educator and also traveled with his son's school to France in 2003. Sons Adam and Tyler have followed in Jeff’s footsteps as members of the BGSU Falcon Marching Band: Adam was a 4-year member of the FMB drumline and Tyler is in his 2nd year in the Trumpet “A” rank.
Robin Harting - Executive Adminstration Coordinator
Robin has spent her professional career coordinating trips for thousands of students. As the administrator of MTC’s computer systems and MTC Online, Robin is always happy to assist directors and parents when questions arise. She enjoys spending time with her family during her hours away from the office.
Rick Campbell - Vice President – Trip Operations
A veteran travel planner, Rick has handled everything from individual vacations and corporate travel to meeting planning and group travel, for three different travel companies. Having specialized in planning, operating and escorting custom-designed student tours, Rick's favorite destinations are New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C. When on vacation, Italy, Argentina and Michigan top his list of favorites.
Cheryl Lockett - Executive Operations Coordinator
With a little over 7 years of experience in communications, customer service, event operations and travel planning, Cheryl joined MTC after several years at Bands of America, the nation’s foremost presenter of “life changing” music education and performance opportunities for our country’s scholastic musicians and educators. She enjoys a fast-paced working environment and loves to see the smiles on the faces of clients who have experienced a hassle-free tour!
Joanie Haskell - Executive Operations Coordinator
With a deep love for all of the Pageantry Arts, Joanie has been the “voice” of the Indiana High School Color Guard Association, Indiana Percussion Association, Winter Guard International and the Indiana State School Music Association, serving as the announcer at major events for over thirteen years. She’s a graduate of Greenwood High School and Harrison College, earning A.A. degrees in Business Management and in Hotel Administration. Entering the travel business in the hotel industry, she rose to Vice President of Operations for Lees Inns of America. Joanie next worked for another music travel planner, and she’s thrilled to join the team at MTC, describing it as, “coming home!” “My favorite thing is seeing students, directors and parents having a tremendous time on tour. Being on staff for local color guards and marching bands lets me see just how hard these young individuals work to raise money, and it makes me work hard every day to plan the perfect trip.”
Ryan Morris - Finance-Operations Specialist
Combining superb organization and planning abilities with an outgoing personality, Ryan brings energy, expertise and excitement to MTC, making even finance and operations ‘fun.’ A native Hoosier, he performed with the show choir, played tuba and served as Drum Major of the Carroll High School Band in Fort Wayne. Ryan holds a BA in Liberal Studies and an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Central Florida. As an integral part of the Walt Disney World operations team for six years, he worked in attractions, Epcot creative operations and facility operations at Disney’s Wide World of Sports, a perfect fit for his customer service skills and “can do” attitude. Ryan served as Assistant to the Producer of America’s oldest un-juried fringe festival (Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival), doing everything from stage work to ticket sales to sophisticated marketing and community relations. The Orlando Shakespeare Theater was so impressed with his work, it made him a PlayFest Associate to take advantage of his production skills.
Mike Attebury - President
A 25 year veteran of the music and travel industry, Mike Attebury turned Music Travel Consultants into an art form by combining good old-fashioned customer service with state-of-the-art planning and technology. Beginning in 1993 when he became the President of Star Travel Services, Mike put his ingenuity to work and aggressively transformed that small, local travel agency into a national contender. In 2000, he engineered a merger between Star Travel and Music Travel Consultants & Educational Destinations. The combination has created a comprehensive travel service company that is second to none. Mike’s steady leadership has set MTC’s “bar” above industry standards and made its performance an inspiration for others. His creativity, industry know-how and visionary skills have enabled MTC to successfully orchestrate memorable trips world-wide.