Greg Benson achieved the rank of second conductor for the Phantom Regiment drum corps after an audition process. During their national summer tour, Benson felt uneasy about one of their performances, sensing that the corps was losing timing. They received criticism from staff afterwards. However, their next performance of a special program featuring their corps anthem was a success, bringing audience members to their feet and bringing Benson to tears. The performance transition highlighted how the corps could overcome challenges.

1. 6 Tan & Cardinal arts & entertainment wednesday, sept. 7, 2011
Drum major puts his heart into the beat
Senior was unprepared for the emotional journey he would experience while touring the country as a conductor
By Mike Cirelli on what he saw: cues from the
Copy Editor other two conductors. He couldn’t
Something felt wrong. tell for sure if it was just the sonic
Greg Benson’s eyes couldn’t be delay or whether the Regiment was
seen beneath the shadow of his really actually losing its timing.
cap brim. But if they could, they Beads of sweat became visible
would be quivering with worry. In- from underneath the shadow
side the big black helmet, his mind on his forehead. The Phantom
was thinking one thing over and Regiment was known for sweeping
over: This just doesn’t feel right. the crowd off its feet, and if they
Benson, a senior music educa- didn’t land the emotional impact
tion major at Otterbein, was con- of their performance, the 150 play-
ducting the Phantom Regiment ers felt like they would be sullying
drum corps during its national over 50 years of proud tradition.
summer-long tour. He achieved Benson felt that way especially.
the rank of second conductor af- This was only his first — and last,
ter an arduous and nerve-wracking due to age regulations — year on
audition process back in No- the corps, but he already figured
vember. He and two other young out how much it mattered to
adults were chosen from a group people — to the alumni, fans
of 29 applicants. (or Phans, as they’re called) and
And now, eight months later in parents in the audience, not to
July in an unusually small stadium mention the staff, who was known
in Loveland, Colo., on a sticky for doling out tough love by the
summer day, things weren’t going barrelful.
as well as they should be. And tough love was exactly
“That could or could not have what the corps received after the photo provided by greg benson
been it,” Benson thought after performance: “That was not the attention: Greg Benson (far left) toured the country with the Phantom Regiment drum corps during summer.
the first part of the drum corps’ Phantom Regiment out there,” the
drill writer, leaning up against one aboard the bus, departing for their He enrolled at Otterbein in 2008 certainly big enough for the role.
performance. Because the podium next show in Denver. and now, three years later, he’s in For a moment, things quieted.
Benson conducted from was of the tour busses, said. “Probably
a good number of you know that.” his senior year. The Regiment was about nine min-
at the back of the stadium, the &&&&&& utes into the 11.5-minute perfor-
sound coming from the perform- Benson did know that, and he &&&&&&
felt little pangs of shame sting the Benson loved music his entire mance. Then Benson heard what
ers closer to the front was slightly life, a trait he inherited from his Rain poured down as the Regi- he had been waiting for: The solo
delayed. Instead of relying on back of his head. He and the rest
of the corps dolefully climbed dad, who played the trombone. He ment warmed up under a freeway trumpet introduction of “Elsa’s
what he heard, Benson had to rely started playing saxophone in band overpass near the Denver stadium. Procession to the Cathedral”
in sixth grade. Last night’s stadium in Loveland wafted into the muggy air of the
“There was a love that I dis- was uncomfortably small; tonight’s stadium.
covered through being involved in presented its own challenge in be- This year’s program was special.
the band program,” he said. “You ing atypically large, the largest one It was the second time in the
know it’s something very special the corps had ever played in. Regiment’s history that its corps
the first time you get chills when But the grey sky didn’t dull anthem was being included in the
you’re playing music or listening to Benson’s or the rest of the Regi- performance. It took only seconds
music.” ment’s spirit. Nor did last night’s before the dumbfounded audience
His music teachers in middle performance, which only intensi- recognized the melody and jumped
school and high school continued fied their will to succeed. to its feet in applause.
to inspire him, along with a senior “We are not going to accept With only a minute left in the
drum major named Meg he met that again tonight. We can’t. It’s im- performance, Benson’s eyes started
when he was a freshman. possible,” Benson thought. watering. “Elsa’s Procession” was
“I thought, ‘Wow, I want to be The show started as soon as reaching its mighty climax.
her someday,’ Benson said. “She the storm clouds dissipated. The As the piece came to a thunder-
was a great leader and a great drum corps lined up at the gate, ing close, Benson closed his eyes
conductor.” everyone more focused than ever and let the tears roll down his face.
He spent the next three years before. “It was this drive to uphold
working toward the position, and Phantom Regiment’s name,” Ben- &&&&&&
in his senior year, he finally became son later said. “We knew we had The post-show section meet-
a drum major. everything to prove and nothing ings were electric. Benson could
But this achievement was laced to lose.” see the elation in every member of
with uncertainty. After high school, The show started, and every- the corps, staff included.
Benson was unsure what he thing just clicked. The size of the “The transition from the bad
wanted to pursue, and for a short stadium proved an unworthy foe show to the good show really
time, he set his sight on the much for the corps, as each performer defined the 2011 Phantom Regi-
more lucrative field of pharmacy. hit his or her dots on time and all ment,” Benson later said. “When-
“Then I thought, ‘No, I’m three conductors stayed in sync ever we get pushed, we push back.
ignoring the fact that I wanna be with each other. Benson felt the There weren’t many dry eyes at
around music my entire life. So unprecedented energy from the that performance. It was some-
I decided to go to music educa- performance rush through his thing where we all knew we were a
photo provided by greg benson
tion and took a significant cut in veins and out through the tip of part of something that can change
pay, but that’s not what matters his baton, almost as if he were a people’s lives.”
conducting: Benson achieved the position of second conductor. to me.” wizard casting spells. His hat was t&c