Mark Rubinstein is a three-man band, having lived as an audio engineer, performer and teacher, all in the name of music.
As the new audio engineer for Ohio State’s School of Music, he brings a diverse musical career combined with years of experience to the method of recording music at OSU.
“So far my experiences at Ohio State have been great,” Rubinstein said. “The faculty is talented and smart. It’s fun to be surrounded by smart people.”
As an audio engineer, he records and edits music. He said he and his colleagues must capture musical performances as faithfully as possible, and OSU has more than 400 of them a year.
“It’s a technical job,” Rubinstein said. “We are the interface between the material and the equipment. But we also set the emotional tone for the whole thing.”
Rubinstein, a Texas native, has worked with numerous artists, including Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin and Cher, to name a few. His work has led to Grammy nominations and platinum records for his clients.
But his favorite musicians aren’t always the most well-known.
“My favorite artists I have worked with are bands that no one has ever heard of,” Rubinstein said with a laugh.
Ever since he was a child, Rubinstein has had a penchant for music.
Taking piano lessons at the age of 6, he developed his knack for playing and has made a living performing as a pianist.
“I have been a musician since the age of 14, when I was in a band,” Rubinstein said. “We decided to make a record, so it was then when I first got a look at the technical aspect of music-making. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t play music.”
Up until September, he split his time between performing piano and working in the studio as a freelance engineer. Now he works for OSU as an engineer and teaching beginners’ audio classes in the Music, Media and Enterprise Program.
Teaching has been a part of his life for several years, as he was also a lecturer in audio technology at the University of Texas of San Antonio.
He said he is proud to be an educator.
“A couple of my students have gone on and received some traction in the industry,” Rubinstein said. “The industry isn’t great right now, but it’s nice to know that I have helped those students and given them some information to help them succeed in their lives.”
He said his previous lifestyle included 14-hour days and a hectic schedule, but now life at OSU offers him a chance to focus more on being an educator.
“It is a rare chance to be able to work at a place that has such a profile like Ohio State does,” Rubinstein said. “The resources here are not available to me elsewhere.”
