Accomplishments
Carl Thacker is a Charter Member of the repair organization NAPBIRT, and served as Executive Secretary/Treasurer from 1996-2002. Carl is currently the Shop Coordinator for the NAPBIRT Technical Training Center (NTTC), located in Normal, Illinois, and has been involved in it from its very beginning stages. The NTTC was designed with advanced training for technicians in mind, and it hosts training sessions on innovative techniques and tooling. Carl is a Master Clinician and has conducted numerous clinics in Alaska, Texas, California, Virginia, Minnesota, and many other states. Bands of America/Music For All has also contracted him to do clinics at their annual summer band camps. Carl was NAPBIRT Member of the Year in 1999, and also received the Illinois State University Distinguished Service Award that year. Carl is an honorary member of the Illinois State University chapter of Tau Beta Sigma music fraternity. He is also an honorary member of the Illinois State University and Illinois Weslyan University chapters of the Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association (T.U.B.A.) - now called, 'International Tuba-Euphonium Association (I.T.E.A.)' music fraternity.
Travis Thacker graduated from Illinois State University in 2004 with a Bachelor's degree in Music Business, and upon graduation received a College Honors Award from the School of Music. He has taught brasswind repair clinics at Illinois State Univ. for band directors. He is also a very active NAPBIRT clinician, having taught repair clinics for fellow technicians at the NAPBIRT Technical Training Center and at NAPBIRT Repair Conferences in Arizona, Texas, Florida, California, and Minnesota. Travis attends many national and regional conferences to continue progressing and learning all he can from other great technicians. Several instrument repair colleges have requested use of Travis' clinic on french horn repair (from his presentation at the 2010 NAPBIRT Annual Repair Conference) for their classes. Travis does repair work for many University Professors and professional musicians. He played lead tenor saxophone in the ISU Jazz Ensemble I, and has been a member of the ISU Wind Symphony, ISU Chamber Winds, a 10-piece touring group called Public Display of Funk, and is currently playing with a contemporary jazz group called Lexicon. Travis also directed the Normal West High School Jazz Ensemble from 2002-2007.