Winterquilt is the alias of SAE Audio Production alumnus Chris Hendrick. In our interview, he tells us how he started studying with SAE and what he hopes to achieve with his electronic music. Interested in following in his footsteps and studying with us? Then get in touch now.
Why did you decide to do a degree in Audio Production?
I’ve been making and recording music since 2002, and had always dreamed of going to university to study an Audio Production degree.
However, I left school with barely any qualifications and quit college so I thought uni was off the cards. A friend in a similar situation studied audio at SAE Liverpool in 2015 after successfully applying via an alternative entry route. This takes into account portfolio examples and relevant work experience, so this was the first time I considered maybe I could too.
However, shortly after I had my first of three kids in five years and felt like I was just locked into having to work dead end jobs forever to support my family.
I ended up losing my job in late 2019, and was extremely burned out with working in roles I disliked for minimum wage. Around this time, my music as winterquilt started to gain some small success in the underground electronic scene, so I decided to take a leap of faith and applied to enrol at SAE in January 2020, aged 33.
What made you choose SAE?
As mentioned previously, my friend studying in 2015 was a big factor.
He actually recorded me back then for one of his assignments so I’d been on campus and was very impressed with the facilities. I also have other friends in the Liverpool music scene who spoke highly of the place, so choosing SAE was a no brainer really.
What did you enjoy most about your degree and time at SAE?
I loved that for the first time in my life, making music and working with audio was my ‘job’. Also being surrounded by like minded people with the same passions as me. Most of the assignments were very practical and creative, and even the written assignments were to do with music or audio. I love that the practical assignments were very customisable, some people focused less on making music and more on engineering/production, or a blend of both, as was often the case with me.
What would you say to someone considering applying to SAE?
If you are a creative person and have a strong work ethic I fully recommend going for it!
I absolutely loved my time there and learned so much. It was very hard work and the deadlines are intense with it being an accelerated two-year degree but all the hard work is worth it for the sense of accomplishment that comes with completing the course, as well as all the skills you will learn.
What are you planning to do next?
I am currently working freelance taking mixing/mastering/composition commissions, which I hope to build up into a full-time job over the next few years, as well as continuing to make music as winterquilt, with which I have a new EP out in April and a new album almost finished, releasing in 2022.
I plan to start performing live next year as well, hopefully leading to some live touring. As well as these things, I am looking into doing further study.
What does your dream career look like?
My ultimate goal is to make a career from releasing/performing my own music as winterquilt.
But due to the wide array of skills I learnt during my time at SAE, there’s multiple options I would love to pursue, such as working in a studio as a producer or engineer, opening my own studio, working as a composer for games/TV, or just continuing to build up my freelance post production business.
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