Few can be dubbed Renaissance men by the age of 19. Matthew Mance has acquired this title.
The “Renaissance man” status is the direct result of the sophomore’s passion for music and photography. These interests fueled the interactive multimedia major’s heavy involvement on campus with the College Union Board, The Signal, and his job as event’s sound technician.
Mance finds music to be, “a fantastically cathartic experience. Nothing else can yield such contentedness and satisfaction.” He firmly stands by the Hans Christian Andersen quote that, “When words fail, music speaks.”
For this reason, Mance is extraordinarily invested in his music. He plays, in his words, “essentially anything that looks or is constructed like a keyboard,” including the keyboard, piano, and xylophone. He also plays the guitar and ukelele, dabbles with drums, and is presently learning the violin. He hopes to eventually master the ocarina as well. “If there’s something in front of me, if granted access and/or permission, I will play it or attempt to play it,” he says.
His band, Gianna’s Sweet Debut, in which Mance plays the piano and guitar, has been an ongoing project since high school. The band has undergone several changes since its origin, from a name change and line-up shift to a sound overhaul. These modifications have aided in the band’s current success as a “piano pop rock” band slated to release its first studio album by the end of the year.
Despite his involvement in Gianna’s Sweet Debut and his multitude of musical gifts, Mance’s first solo performance occurred at the Rat this past December. Mance credits this show with sparking his desire to become involved on campus.
After his performance, Mance immediately knew he wanted to get behind the scenes of campus events and shows. He was named the CUB STUD chair for the upcoming school year. Additionally, Mance will be a sound technician for campus shows.
Although it seems like Mance is solely and deeply consumed in music, he also enjoys photography. He can often be spotted on campus with his Canon camera, snapping anything and everything that captures his creative – though colorblind – eye.
He says that he developed his photographic skills during his freshman year. This newly capitalized ability allowed him to become the staff photographer for The Signal. Mance says, “There’s always something to shoot around campus- people, events, shenanigans.”
Not surprisingly, Mance’s favorite spot on campus is the Rat because of the music and atmosphere, but he also appreciates the lake across from A.B.E. People are his favorite subjects to photograph.
Music and photography are truly ardors for this Renaissance man. As Mance says, “The limitless possibilities of sound and expression are really just quite beautiful.”