Watch a video of Laurie Rubin performing.
Laurie Rubin is a professional opera singer who’s performed across the United States, in Europe, and even under the baton of John Williams, yet she’s never gazed upon a page of sheet music. Born blind, Rubin has had to make do without her sense of sight her entire life.
“Some people read Braille music, but I’ve done everything by ear,” she said, “so I have never been trapped down by the page.”
Her inability to read music is no obstacle to tackling tough classical literature with her soprano voice. Rubin has sung much of the operatic repertoire, with some composers suiting her more than others, she explained.
“I love Mozart,” she said. “He wrote for my exact kind of voice. And Monteverdi, again, it just feels like it suits my voice to a T.”
Rubin has spent a good part of her career illustrating that a blind musician is just as capable as any other. The problem of not being able to see a conductor wave a baton has been an assumed handicap for Rubin, but it’s one she can easily overcome.
“First of all, I can actually feel him raising his arms,” she said, “and if he is turning to me to cue me, I can feel him turn to me.”
Little skills like that are what make Rubin an extraordinary talent. Whether she’s feeling the movements of the conductor or hearing the rhythmic breathing of the orchestra, there’s more to this singer than meets the eye.
“When you are with an orchestra you really feel the whole landscape of music around you,” she said. “You become a very integral part of the music.”
Rubin’s upcoming performance for the Lompoc Concert Association won’t be with an orchestra, but will come with a pianist collaborator. The first half of the program is reserved for classical music, with the second half featuring musical theater and original works.
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“My partner Jenny and I are producing and working on a new album,” she said. “Some of the songs have themes that address bullying and how to deal with things like that.”
Rubin’s appearance in Lompoc will also mark the one-year anniversary of the publishing of her book Do You Dream in Color: Insights from a Girl Without Sight. As part of her performance, Rubin will relate some life stories between her songs, offering a kind of sneak peek at what her book has to hold.
“In the second half I tell stories that relate to my life and each song,” she said. “It kind of becomes a one-woman show in a way, except it’s not scripted.”
The path into the future holds a lot of possibility for Rubin. She has already had some of her poetry set to music by composers, specifically for her voice, besides the album she has in the works. Rubin hopes to inspire able and disabled artists alike with her book and music.
“Eventually I would love to do projects that don’t involve breaking down barriers,” she said. “I think being on stage and performing roles would be enough to educate people about it; I don’t always need to preach about it.”
Rockin’ at O’Sullivan’s
O’Sullivan’s Pub plays host to ska quintet The Suppressors on Nov. 2 at 9 p.m. and then The Skabilly Rebels on Nov. 6 at 9 p.m. at the pub at 633 E. Main Street, Santa Maria. More info: 925-0658.
Marquez at the Raddison
The Radisson Hotel in Santa Maria presents live music by Juan Marquez on Nov. 1 and 2 from 7 to 10 p.m. each night at the Radisson Hotel, 3455 Skyway Drive, Santa Maria. More info: 928-8000.
The creative spot
Creative Juices features regular live music on the weekends including Night Shift II live on Oct. 31 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Creative Juices Lounge, 874 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe. More info: 219-0518 or creativejuiceslounge.com.
En route
Root 246 presents live music Fridays and Saturdays from 8 to 11 p.m. at Root 246, 420 Alisal Road, Solvang. More info: 264-4726 or bethany865@live.com.
New faces welcome
Lucia’s Wine Co. offers an open mic featuring wine, poetry, and live music on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the tasting room, 126 East Clark Ave., Orcutt. More info: 332-3080.
Pairing music and wine
The Addamo Tasting Room and Bistro present “Wine Down Wednesdays” featuring live music on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Addamo Tasting Room and Bistro, located at 400 E. Clark, Old Orcutt. Free. More info: 937-6400 or Bethany@addamovineyards.com.
Maverick gets spooky
The Maverick Saloon offers live entertainment, including a “Halloween Burlesque Spook Show” on Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. A “Neon/Glo Party” with DJ Totem and guest DJs is Nov. 1 at 9 p.m. “Concert on the Deck” featuring Callie and Friends is Nov. 2 at 3 p.m. The Callie Bobsin Band performs on Nov. 2 at 7:45 p.m., followed by “Late Night with DJ Totem” at 11:30 p.m. “Tales from the Tavern” presents Tish Hinojosa and M. Holcombre at 7 p.m. The “805 Harvest Tour ’13” includes a battle of the bands featuring The Young Rapscallions, Barefeet, and St. Anne’s Place on Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. at the saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. More info: 686-4785 or mavericksyv@aol.com.
Contact Arts Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
SOUND AND VISION: Laurie Rubin performs arias, musical theater, and original songs. Her versatility is evident in her performance reel.
VIDEO COURTESY OF LAURIE RUBIN VIA YOUTUBE
This article appears in Oct 31 – Nov 6, 2013.