Blood.

Sweat. 

Tears.

It takes everything to perform in front of an ecstatic crowd. 

In a matter of just ten minutes, they give it all to create an electrifying performance. 

After being contracted last December, junior trumpet player Ashton Wiseneske will perform with the Phantom Regiment Drum Corps this summer. 

“I wanted to march with a drum corps because everyone who does it says it is an amazing experience,” Wiseneske said. 

Wiseneske started marching when he was in eighth grade for the Burleson Centennial indoor winds group. He moved here the summer before his freshman year.

“During this experience I learned a lot about the basics of marching and playing, and how to achieve these two things together at a high level,” Wiseneske said. “With this knowledge in mind I went into freshman year marching band with confidence.”

In his freshman year of marching band, he learned about Drum Corps International from friends that marched in a Drum and Bugle Corps and became interested in the field of professional marching bands. His interest in DCI prompted him to audition for the Spirit Winds, the varsity indoor winds group, as a freshman. 

“Of course, I auditioned and waited anxiously for my results,” Wiseneske said. “Fortunately, I made the group and we performed ‘You Put a Spell on Me.’ This was an amazing experience.”

In 2022, the Spirit Winds placed first at the Winter Guard International Dallas Regional and fifth at the WGI World Championships. The following two years, Wiseneske made trumpet lieutenant and was in charge of the trumpet section of the Spirit of Joshua Marching Band.

“Summer band was a great experience,” Wiseneske said. “Teaching my freshmen how to march and improving the skills of the rest of my section was the highlight of the summer.”

Wisenekse has been in Spirit Winds for three years and has gone to WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio twice. This year, he was selected as captain of the indoor winds group, the highest leadership position in the varsity group.

“My favorite marching band memory is the [WGI Worlds Championship] Finals retreat,” Wiseneske said. “This event is a lot of fun because you get to stand next to bands, in front of a huge audience and wait to hear how your group did.”

Wiseneske started his audition process for Phantom Regiment in November of last year. The audition process includes three separate portions: music, dance and marching exercise. His first audition was in Fort Worth and he was invited to callbacks in Chicago, Illinois.  

“I flew to Chicago for my [second] audition which was a three day camp with other people there who were told to come for their second audition as well,” Wiseneske said. “This experience was great; I met a lot of new people and got to experience what it would be like if I made the group for this summer.”

After a brief period, Wiseneske received results that he made the Drum Corps. To keep his position, he had to attend monthly camps to work on essential skills for marching band, record several video assignments at home and work out to prepare for the upcoming season.

“In preparation for this summer, I have consistently gone to the gym and done strength as well as endurance training,” Wiseneske said. “Drum corps takes a lot physically, so the more I can prepare before the season, the better off I will be.”

This summer, Wisenske will be traveling across the country and performing at several large stadiums. The nearest event Wiseneske is performing at is DCI Denton on July 18.

“I am excited to take in as much knowledge as I can and bring it back and share what I learned with others,” Wiseneske said. “Drum corps will open many doors for me just as it has done for others.”