Name, age, hometown: Mark Sopjes, 20, Portage, Mich. What corps are you in and what is your role this summer? Phantom Regiment, contrabass (tuba). Where I go to school and what I'm studying: Western Michigan University studying music education.

Mark Sopjes
Give us your full drum corps/marching music background. I marched in high school at a decent competitive school, then I marched Dimensions in 2003, took 2004 off and marched Phantom 2005.    What does your ideal free day consist of? My ideal free day consists of not rehearsing, just relaxing and hanging out with my friends. Favorite pig-out food: I'm a huge fan of pigs in a blanket with Heintz 57 sauce. In the shower you can hear me singing: Uh, no, I play an instrument for a reason. You will, however, see me ask for soap only to turn around and find that I'm alone. The last good book I read: "Runaway Jury" by John Grisham The last great film I saw: "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" was pretty good. Jobs I have/have had: I worked for three years in a restaurant that made sub sandwiches and hot dogs. I currently work in a deli and teach music whenever I can. My favorite TV show: I'm big of "CSI" but I don't watch much TV. I don't have time. What has been your formative drum corps moment? Finals '05, we had a "fake" ending and all the Phantom vets in the crowd screamed "SUTA" during the silence. What would you be doing next summer if you were not marching? I don't know, probably something crazy like working and getting paid for it. How did you decide to be a member of your corps?In 2003 the corps I marched with played several shows with them, and it was amazing to see their progress over that span of time. It was an amazing show What first attracted you to the drum corps activity? My brass caption head in high school taught the brass at Dimensions, the corps I started marching with. What advice would you give to young people who want to march? Go for it, it's a blast. All the scary stuff that holds you back cannot compare to the experience that you will have. What I want to be when I "grow up": I'm never going to grow up, but I plan to teach at a university, and be on the staff, at some level or another, of a corps. Best drum corps show ever and why: Phantom 1996, I love Phantom and I love Shostakovich. The year is 2030. What does a DCI show look like? The innovation and change in drum corps over the last 30 years is already beyond my belief, so I cannot even render a guess as to what it be like in the next 25 years. Feel free to add anything else you'd like. "SUTA!"