Megan Reed, Campus Carrier News Editor

Photo contributed by David Warren Sophomore David Warren has been chosen as the head conductor for the drum corps Phantom Regiment

Sophomore David Warren has been selected to serve as the new head conductor for the drum corps Phantom Regiment.

Warren, a music education major, has been involved with Phantom Regiment since last year and previously held the positions of second and third conductor.

According to the website for Drum Corps International (DCI), a drum corps is a musical performing unit, similar to a marching band, featuring percussion and brass instruments along with a color guard.

Phantom Regiment is based in Rockford, Ill. and competes as a World Class drum corps with DCI. World Class corps can have up to 150 members. Some high school students participate, but the corps are mostly composed of college students.

Warren, who has been playing the trombone since he was in sixth grade, was also the drum major of Carrollton High School’s marching band in Carrollton, Ga.

Warren traveled to Illinois this past weekend to audition for the position. After initial auditions, ten candidates remained, and after further auditions, the group was cut to only five candidates. The five remaining people had interviews with the Phantom Regiment staff on Sunday morning, Warren said.

In addition to conducting the corps during practices and performances, Warren said his responsibilities will include “running the corps from an administrative standpoint,” keeping morale at high levels and ensuring that all members arrive to and depart from performances safely and promptly.

Warren said he felt honored to be chosen to lead the drum corps.

“Regiment has a long line of really great conductors,” Warren said. “I’m just very honored to be asked to be in this position because it’s really hard to see myself in the same category as all of them.”

The corps will begin practicing this month in Illinois once a month. Regular practices will begin in May and will also be held in Illinois. Phantom Regiment will then begin touring the U.S. in June, playing music from the ballet “Swan Lake.”

Phantom Regiment’s first show of the season will be at DCI’s opening night on June 18, 2014 in Indianapolis, Ind. They will also be performing at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on July 26 as part of the DCI Southeastern Championship.