Gregory X. Whitmore ||

To Whom It May Concern:

Greetings. I would like to offer my most fervent support, and emphatic recommendation on behalf of World Projects International Music Productions.

I have used World Projects for two international tours in the last three years. In 2009, my band program embarked on a two-week international performance tour throughout the whole of England and Wales. The tour involved four performances, with our highlight performance occurring on July Fourth in the heart of London at St. John’s Smith Square.

The second tour took place most recently in March 2011 to France and Germany. This particular tour again was two weeks and involved four performances, the itinerary setup by World Projects took us to Paris, Bonn, Cologne, Heidelberg, and Munich.

I can honestly state that I will travel with NO ONE ELSE other than World Projects. Having taken my program on two tours using another student travel company previous to my two international tours with WP, there is simply no comparison to the level of expertise, professionalism, and personal care given by World Projects. What I like about WP is their commitment to music and the student experience through travel — they are not there to “make a buck” like so many other travel companies. In both of our international tours, WP gave us a variety of concert venues, from famous concert halls, to local schools, to churches. In England, my symphonic band held a concert in the same church where Shakespeare is buried!!! The international connections and partnerships established and maintained by WP makes the world your concert stage. No other student travel company can offer this level of international breadth.

Additionally, WP was with me every step of the way in planning my tour, from idea to the day of departure. The itinerary, the payment plan, and all other aspects of our travel was meticulously planned; including allowing me to travel to the countries of our tours beforehand so as to have a first-hand idea of where we were going and what we would be immersed in – allowing me to give my parents reassurance prior to our trip about their child’s safety and security. Furthermore, the tour guides that accompanied us abroad handled all of the mundane tour items (tickets, seating, payments to vendors, instrument rentals, hotel check in and out, etc) – not to mention being fluent in the native languages, customs, and areas we were visiting. All of this made my trip smoother, more efficient, and more enjoyable – I only had to focus on the music! WP even sent representatives to my school to personally lead trip meetings with parents to answer first hand questions and concerns from parents and administrators. WP was with me every step of the way, even checking in while we were abroad!!!! Our two international tours were held during a time of economic difficulty for families, and school districts. Despite these challenges, WP was understanding and worked with me and my families with tour payments and expenses.

In conclusion, while it may seem daunting to travel either internationally or domestically – it really does come down to who you choose. In 11 years of teaching in both Michigan and California, I whole-heartedly endorse World Projects as the only student travel company worth employing for your program’s tour. Please feel free to contact me personally if you need any further questions answered regarding my fantastic experiences with World Projects.

Best,
Gregory X. Whitmore
Director of Bands
Cathedral City High School
Cathedral City, California