Name, age, hometown: Phil Leisy, 20, Raleigh, N.C. What corps are you in and what is your role this summer? Drum major of the Boston Crusaders. Give us your full drum corps/marching music background. This is my first year as drum major for the corps. I joined the corps back in 2003 marching soprano. Before that, I marched three years on trumpet in high school marching band.

Phil Leisy
How did you decide to be a member of your corps? I saw the 2000 PBS broadcast and was attracted to the pure aura Boston emitted on the field. Plus, a good friend of mine was already planning on auditioning, and invited me to come along and give it a shot -- so I did, and here I stand today. What first attracted you to the drum corps activity? The demand for excellence and degree of performance seen in the same PBS broadcast. What advice would you give to young people who want to march? Don't be intimidated, if you want it bad enough, you'll get a spot. Remember, everyone marching in a corps started off in the exact same situation before they marched. Do you have any favorite road anecdotes? Last year for our home show, we practiced at the show site, which was a good drive from our housing site, causing us to take buses to rehearsal. That day, the truck was conveniently parked a quarter mile away from the stadium during rehearsal; hence, I, being on truck loading crew, had a little walk after rehearsal to load the truck. After rehearsal I was with the truck loading crew just about to lock up the truck when we turned around and saw the first two buses pull out of the parking lot, headed for the housing site! We threw the door shut, slammed the lock closed, and took off sprinting for the buses. Lucky for us it was late in the season, so we were in pretty good shape and had the ability to outrun a commercial bus. We caught up to the last bus just before it made the turn onto the main road to head back. That would have made for an interesting afternoon wandering around the neighborhoods behind the stadium. The last good book I read: "The Carolina Way," by Coach Dean Smith The last great film I saw: "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" Where I go to school and what I'm studying: University of North Carolina, biology major (pre-medicine). Jobs I have/have had: Lots of outside work (fencing, landscaping) and Hollister (just seasonal)! Three CDs I'd want on a deserted island: Rascal Flatts, Something Corporate, and Fall Out Boy My favorite TV show: "Family Guy" Favorite performers: The North Carolina Tarheel basketball team How do you "blow off steam?" I either throw on some headphones and go running, or head to the gym. What has been your formative drum corps moment? In 2004, we lost our housing site for the Orlando regional, so to make up for it, we were housed comfortably in a nearby hotel fully equipped with a pool and rooms that were two stories tall (at least mine was)! I remember sitting by the pool during "Eat, shower, load" that day thinking, "Holy crap, we've got a regional in four hours!" Best drum corps show ever: SCV 1989 What are you most looking forward to about the summer? Writing our own addition to the already 64-year-old history of the Boston Crusaders. Best thing about being in a drum corps: The lifelong friends you meet. Worst thing about being in a drum corps: Definitely explaining to your friends at home oblivious to the activity why you can't hang out with them this summer. During tour, the best part of the day is: First stepping up to the gates of a stadium, seeing the immense number of fans waiting for you. Turning around with that in mind, and singing the corps song with the other 134 dedicated members you have worked so hard next to all summer. During tour, the worst part of the day is: Showering with NO hot water, but ya know, those are the stories/housing sites that people talk about for years to come. What I want to be when I "grow up": Working in either orthopedics or cardiology, but for the most part, I just want to enjoy what I'm doing. Describe what you think a typical DCI show will look in 2015. The physical makeup of each corps will still be the same as today. However, shows will be more visually oriented as drill designers are pushed to new limits to do something new and innovative. Shows will include more body movement from the horn line/drum line while marching as just marching and playing won't be enough anymore. Feel free to add anything else you'd like. Forget this school stuff, let's go on tour now!