Name, hometown, corps: Seth Murphy. Rock Hill, S.C. is my hometown and where I live at the moment. I have been with Carolina Crown for three years. What is your role in the corps this summer? I will be the horn sergeant again this summer.

Seth Murphy
Where do you go to school, and what extracurricular activities are you involved with there? I attend Winthrop University, which is located in Rock Hill, S.C. I am a music education major in my sophomore year. I am involved in the university symphonic band, jazz combos ensemble, Winthrop percussion ensemble and the Winthrop tuba choir. I am a euphonium major and a percussion secondary. I also teach the Northwestern High School marching band (visual) in the fall, and have taught winter drum lines in the spring for the past two years. I also play with many people in the area. Give us your full drum corps/marching music background, and how each position prepared you for the leadership role you're in this summer. I started marching in my high school marching band at Rock Hill High School in the ninth grade. I played trombone then, and went on to play tuba my remaining three years at the school. I started marching with Carolina Crown in the summer of 2000, during which I played contra. I then had to take two years off due to college conflicts, 2001 and 2002, but I returned in 2003 to play lead baritone. 2003 was my first year as horn sergeant with the corps. I became prepared for that position through many life experiences such as business school my first two years of college, which taught me many things about relating to people and keeping on task and organized, and all of the things I learned from my peers and teachers through the years. The last good book I read: I don't remember, because I don't have much time to read books, other than the ones that have music in them. The last great film I saw: It may not be the last film I saw, but I love "Braveheart" with Mel Gibson. That movie has a lot of hardcore action, and many lessons of how to stand up for what one believes in. Three CDs I'd want on a deserted island: Sting's "Ten Summoner's Tales," Led Zeppelin's "Greatest Hits," anything with Richard Wagner's compositions on it My favorite TV show: "The Real World" Favorite performers: Sting, Vinnie Colaiuta (Sting's drum set player, he's the man), Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (of course Victor Wooten), and Will Ferrell (always makes me laugh). How do you "blow off steam?" During the summer, I try to pull away for at least 10 or 15 minutes from everyone and everything to reflect on myself and how I feel. Sometimes I get interrupted, but I usually blow off steam to my closest friends. Why I march with the corps I am in: Carolina Crown is not a drum corps, but a family. I was 16 when I first marched in 2000, and I am almost 21 now, and I never feel that I have no one to turn to because I have my Crown family with me all the time. Was it always your goal to be in a leadership role? No, it truly wasn't. I just felt that I had an opportunity to help change the drum corps, and help the staff portray to the membership what drum corps is all about in 2003. That was through the position I served. How will you go about balancing the roles of leader and corpsmate? I never really have a problem with that. I always have been considered a person that is easy to deal with, even when I am angry or have problems to deal with. Best drum corps show ever: That hasn't happened yet in my book. Check out the corps in purple and cream this summer (Carolina Crown, for those of you who haven't seen us yet) Maybe then you can tell me. What are you most looking forward to about the summer? Becoming a better player as well as a better person. Best thing about being a drum corps leader: Having a good relationship with the staff. I can always go to anyone on staff about any problem I have, whether it be personal or corps-related. Worst thing about being a drum corps leader: Being the first person in line for criticism from the staff and membership. It happens when you are a leader. During tour, the best part of the day is: The bus During tour, the worst part of the day is: The time between rehearsal and a show -- it is always the most hectic thing you can imagine! Favorite drum corps personality and why: My baritone tech, Bob Chreste. He always teaches me so much in any rehearsal, no matter what his mood is. I take to heart everything he says, and he helps me sometimes in ways he doesn't even know. He has the best personality any baritone player could hope for, and he lets us put our horns down every once in a while (come on, baritone players know how that gets). I think he is a great teacher and hope he stays around my drum corps for a long time. What do you want to be when your drum corps career is over? I want to be a music educator. I also want to have my own brass program in DCI one day.