Mason is an intern from the Bloomberg Arts Internship Program and will be spending the next 7 weeks working with Project 440!
Q: How did you find out about this internship?
A: During the school year, my art teacher brought me a flyer for the Bloomberg Arts Internship and I signed up that very night. When I was assigned to Project 440, I did a little digging through the website to learn more about the organization. Needless to say, I was very excited to start working here.
Q: What is your relationship with music? What does music mean to you?
A: Music has always been a part of my life. I started singing straight out of the womb and I haven’t stopped since. I play guitar and bass and started a band called Mystic Prize with my friend Willem about a year ago. Since then, we’ve released a few singles, an EP, and full length album and we are still working hard at creating more. I think I get my musical inclination from my dad, who played trombone for the better half of his adolescence.
Music, to me, is the ultimate form of self-expression. Anyone can make music. It has so many different forms, evokes many different emotions, and can be very tangible. If you have something to say, an instrument can give you the words to say it. There are so many messages that can be expressed universally through a simple instrumental, just the thought of it is empowering. Music can break language barriers. Whenever I am feeling something strongly but can’t find the words, I pick up my guitar and sing whatever falls out of my mouth. It doesn’t even feel like I’m thinking, I’m just doing. It is liberating. They don’t have to be the right words, but they are the truth, and having that honesty with myself is something magical that I only find through music.
Q: Describe yourself in 3 words.
A: Oof, this is difficult, I have so many words. I guess I’d say that I am goofy, creative, and friendly (and for my boss, super hardworking!).
Q: Do you actually like long walks on the beach?
A: Eh. I’d prefer a nice hike in the woods followed by a cooling swim in a lake!
Q: What do you hope to gain from interning at Project 440?
A: I hope the professional environment will improve my self-motivation and organization. There are a lot of things to get done throughout the work day, and taking them one step at a time in an organized manner is very important. Just within my first week here, I can already feel myself getting better with time management and organization. Every task I complete feels like I am contributing to something bigger than myself, which definitely makes me feel more motivated to do the work.
