"Justin Rubin writes music that is direct and witty, speaks to the mind, heart, and soul, engages with notes and rhythms that matter, and does so clearly yet matter-of-factly. His music is connected to the past, through his relationship to the organ tradition and—in a surprising juxtaposition—to the memory of his engagement with the avant-garde.
"Justin Rubin grew up in New York City. He is a polymath who was an extraordinary organist at a young age, having been awarded a Fulbright for study of that instrument in the Netherlands and landing a major church job in the City in his twenties.
All the while he wrote music, finally studying at SUNY/Purchase with Dary John Mizelle and then with me at the University of Arizona. (I swore awhile back that I would never write about my students but have recently decided: Why should they be penalized for having studied with me? I mean, it really isn’t their fault!)
He now teaches in that cultural mecca of the U.S———Duluth, MN!—-and has been on the faculty of the University of Minnesota/Duluth for almost twenty years. I say this with a little mirth, but also only to demonstrate that good music can come from anywhere.
Bach hung out in pretty back water towns but did okay with the pen and paper, producing a cantata a week (a week!) not to mention innumerable children (remember-no television). It would appear he wrote from left to right hardly stopping. Like Mozart, perhaps he heard the entire piece in his head before ever starting. Or maybe once he got into the zone he never left it."