North Shore Intern Spotlight: Matthew Shipley

 This summer Matthew Shipley offered his musical and marketing talents to VanGoGo as they went through the process of recording their first album. An accomplished violist, Matt is now a senior at Northwestern University where he is studying Music Theory and Industrial Engineering. He is lover of classical and electronic dance music, and plays the tenor drums in Northwestern’s marching band. Matt interned at the Arts of Life North Shore studio this summer, contributing to the VanGoGo album and the Wake Up tour marketing campaign. We were very pleased to have in the studio and look forward to having in on our Wake Up tour this fall! Recently, Danny Frownfelter sat down with Matt to hear how his time at the studio has been.Danny F: How did you hear about the Arts of Life?Matt S: I heard about the Arts of Life through Northwestern University’s website called CareerCat. It is where they show job and intern opportunities; and I found it last year during school. I thought it sounded like a cool opportunity. So, I came by the studio, talked with Rick, and then I started interning this summer.DF: Yeah, did you know any of the artists before you began interning?MS: No, I did not know any of the artists before I began interning. DF: Alright. Next questions, what do you like most about The Arts of Life?MS: What I like most about The Arts of Life is working with the Van Go Go Band. I got to play music, play the viola, and also teach music to members of the band to help them get better. Even though I came in at the end of this multi-year process of recording the album, it was cool to have an impact on the recording of the album; and also to help with planning the Wake-Up tour for the band in the fall. I will be performing with the band in the fall as well.DF: What do you like about being in the studio? How is it in the studio? What kind of work are you looking to do you when you visit?MS: Some of the things I do are play with the band at practice, help the band get better a singing, and prepare for the recording studio. I also do things like make Facebook updates, create Soundcloud and Bandcamp profiles for us to put our music up on, contact different venues to set up our tour in the fall, and work with John Sharp to plan the marketing for the album. DF: How are you to do, like the, being in the studio?MS: It is cool to be around the artists who are able to express themselves through their art and their music and to be in an environment where everybody is friendly and nice to each other. It is a nice environment to be in.DF: Oh yeah. Um, why are you, what is, an artist?MS: I am not a visual artists but I am a musician and I play the viola in orchestras and musicals.DF: Oooooo.MS: Yeah, you like the viola, and then I sing also, like you. And I play the drums too. DF: Alright, ahhh, if you, haha, no, who is your favorite in the art?MS: I don’t have a favorite visual artists but some of my favorite musicians are Jeremy Olander. I also like a lot of Russian and French composers.DF: What?MS: I like Russian and French composers.DF: Do it again.MS: I like Russian…DF: So, Russian.MS: Like from Russia.DF: OoooMS: Like one of them is Shostakovich and one of them is Rimsky-Korsakov. Yeah, so they make music for orchestras. DF: What do you do, how do you, do not, when you are not at the Arts of Life?MS: I am going to be a senior at Northwestern, studying industrial engineering and music theory and I play tenor drums in the marching band. I was the president of the music fraternity, and I play in the symphony orchestra and help write and orchestrate for the musicals on campus. I also like to make electronic music with my roommate. DF: Ahh.MS: Yup.DF: Thank you. MS: Thanks, Danny.