ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: SHERRY RUBINS A Chinese proverb states, “To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.” For #UTSAMUSIC majors with questions about viability after graduation, what better person to ask than a current faculty member and former #UTSAMUSIC student? Senior lecturer Sherry Rubins (MM ‘85) is a great resource for her percussion students in areas not limited to technique and musicality but also of real-world experience. Following her graduation from UTSA and ensuing years of teaching privately and performing professionally, Rubins returned to the UTSA Department of Music in 1994 to head the percussion area. As a Senior Lecturer Sherry has witnessed a lot of changes within the department and has been the catalyst for many as the percussion area coordinator. She’s an energetic and positive force with a drive that has increased the number of percussion students, faculty, and inventory. As a faculty member for 26 years, she has influenced and inspired so many, and she isn’t done yet!
How did you get your start in music? My father (Jimmy Brown) was a big band drummer and my teacher through high school. I began playing around age 5. My father had a studio of over 80 students that he taught weekly in the basement of our home in Illinois. In middle school I also began taking marimba lessons with Virginia Schulte. She was an amazing teacher and I now own her personal marimba. My Mom was involved in music theater (semi-pro) in England where she grew up. She was a dancer with a wonderful voice. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the voice! HA! The percussion world is still mostly male-dominated so on occasion I have witnessed some discrimination and cronyism. I have heard comments such as “You look more like a flute player,” or “how does a little thing like you plays the drums?” Growing
up I didn’t really experience any discrimination or harassment but I did realize that none of the guys were happy about me beating them in chair placements! Overall though, I have been fortunate to not have dealt with what I know many of my female colleagues have. One thing I say all the time to my students is, “No instrument is genderspecific! Anyone can play any instrument and for that matter - do anything! Period.” Where did you go to school before becoming a Roadrunner and what prior experience did you have as an educator before joining the faculty? I received my Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Western Illinois University, did 1 year as a Graduate Assistant at Baylor University, and finished my Master of Music in Percussion Performance here at UTSA. At UTSA I studied with former Principal Timpanist of the San Antonio Symphony, Harvey Biskin. Mr. Biskin passed away last spring - in his 90’s! While I was working on my Master’s at UTSA I started teaching private
