Name, age, hometown: Geoffrey Sperling, 16, Crown Point, Ind. What corps are you in and what is your role this summer? I am currently a veteran at Pioneer, and I will be a second soprano this summer again.

Geoffrey Sperling
Give us your full drum corps/marching music background. I first started marching my freshman year of high school at Merrillville High in Merrillville, Ind. I have been in marching band for two years, and drum corps for one. ^How did you decide to be a member of your corps? After my first season of marching band was over, I needed more. I fell in love with marching. With the help of Indianamarching.com, my band director Bob Myers, and Bandettes program coordinator Bal Snow, I decided on marching drum corps. With my being so young and not being able to drive, I was narrowed down the field to the Midwest corps. I finally decided randomly that I wanted to try for Pioneer, and attended their December camp. It was amazing. The people were so nice and welcoming. I knew then that this is the corps I wanted to be a part of. What advice would you give to young people who want to march? Being a young person, I know what it is to march, and the best advice I could give would be to find the corps you love. Every summer is so magical that it would be wasted going to a corps that you really don't enjoy. Audition for a few corps. Find out which corps best suits you, and which could advance your skills while providing a good social environment The last good book I read: "Go ask Alice" by Anonymous The last great film I saw: "The Notebook" Where I go to school: I got to Merrillville High School in Merrillville, Ind. Jobs I have/have had: Working at Subway. Three CDs I'd want on a deserted island:
1. "Get Born" by Jet
2. "Broken" by Seether
3. "This Desert Life" by Counting Crows My favorite TV show: "Law and Order" Favorite performers: Blue Man Group How do you "blow off steam?" Calling my corps friend from St. Louis (Tiffany Mueler) and giving her a huge speech about what's wrong in my life. What has been your formative drum corps moment? The most important moment to me while going through this experience was everydays (the two weeks of pure practice before the fist show). It makes or breaks you. Best drum corps show ever: Definitely Indianapolis. The practice for it was intense, and the view from the top watching the other corps was amazing.
What are you most looking forward to about the summer? There are so many things I can't even name them all, but I think seeing my friends, having an amazing show and always getting "better every day." Best thing about being in a drum corps: Everything. I don't believe there is a "best" thing about corps. I love everything about it. Worst thing about being in a drum corps: Not having a job, because at the end of the summer I always need money. During tour, the best part of the day is: Dinnertime. Dinnertime always brings good food, and comes right before final ensemble block, which is normally run by Mickey Hartzog. It is always amazing. That is when we get together as an ensemble and run sets over and over again for hours. During tour, the worst part of the day is:The beginning. Getting up is always hard, and on top of it, stretching and running is even harder. Favorite drum corps personality and why: Micheal Cesario. That man is a genius at his work, and is very polite to the corps kids he meets. It was a pleasure meeting him last tour. What I want to be when I "grow up": I would like to attend Vandercook or Ball State University when I get out of high school. I want to get a major in music education, and then come back for a master's in music composition. I hope to be a band director, arranger, drill writer and drum corps staff member.
Describe what you think a typical DCI show will look in 2015. I hope that a few more corps will be around, including one from Indiana. I think it's going to be the same as now, just maybe a different music selection. Feel free to add anything else you'd like. Corps is such an eye-opening experience. I didn't believe it when I first started, but it does change you. It not only makes you a better player but a better person. I love corps because it means I get to make music with my friends, and those are the two most important things to me.