An Interview with Robert "Dubie" Dubinski: Teacher and Percussionist

Robert Dubinski, better known as Dubie, originated from the state of New Jersey, but found his way to Bloomington, IN about 22 years ago. Dubie was hired on to teach the Star of Indiana back in 1985 and he, his wife and two kids have not looked back since.

J.R. : What are your thoughts on the big move that brought you and your family to Bloomington about 22 years ago?

Dubie: Well, when you live in New Jersey people don't change zip codes, let alone move out of the state. You just have an east-coast mentality that is born here, raised here, die here. But, we moved here and have enjoyed our experiences thus far. Bloomington's a great place to raise children and definitely love Bloomington. If Bloomington wasn't Bloomington, culture-wise, I don't think my wife and I would have bought into moving here. There's no place like Bloomington in the whole state of Indiana, there really isn't.

J.R. : How did you adjust from the east-coast state of mind to a mid-west feel?

Dubie: Very easy! What I can't imagine is people living in the mid-west their whole lives having to move to Jersey, New York, Connecticut or Boston because they'll just eat you up out there. It's just very, you know, doggy-dog, very fast-paced and not to mention costs an incredible amount of money to live there. My wife and I also love the arts and good restaurants and Bloomington definitely offers that. Even though the majority if fast food, there are some good restaurants here. Bloomington's pretty cool as far as entertainment goes too, especially with IU here. You have a jazz band concert every Monday night, concert bands every Tuesday and orchestras on Wednesdays. Then, throw in Bear's Place and Blue Bird as great playing venues.

J.R. : Any disadvantages to living in Bloomington as compared to Jersey?

Dubie: What I do miss is the food; I mean it's just great, great ethnic food. You also can't get a good slice of pizza here. No offense to the pizza places in town, but there's nothing like a piece of pizza from one of those little, home-owned pizza places on 55^th Street. What about a canolie or Italian pastry-just a real bakery would be nice. There's no real diner here either. Steak and Shake's our diner, you know what I mean. I'm hungry at midnight man; I want to go to a diner but..... No ocean with waves and salt water in Bloomington, but then again there's no hour and a half Parkway traffic to go 10 miles to get to the beach.

A Teacher and a Player All Wrapped Up in One

Dubie, as a born-again Christian and percussionist, plays drums for his church and has occasionally played with the Bloomington Symphony and Bloomington Pops. Dubie has taught music classes for 24 years now and 16 of those have been at Bloomington High School South where he continues to teach now. His classes include: Percussion, Music Theory, two jazz bands, two concert bands, pep band and marching band. Dubie loves to teach and enrich young minds on music, but has always had a true passion for marching band and the drums. He started marching for a drum corp. in 1970, at the age of 15. This was the start of a wonderful relationship between Dubie, drums and marching. "When I graduated high school, the only thing that I really knew was music; I wasn't good at anything else."

J.R. : Has it always been about the drums for you personally?

Dubie: I actually started on the organ, learning how to play the whole Bach-style organ with two keyboards, foot pedal-the whole bit. And then like an idiot fell in love with the drums. My oldest brother was in a little lounge band and man I just fell in love with those things. My dad let me start drums and he said, "You know, why don't you keep playing the organ too. I mean I'll pay for the lessons, I got the thing." So, I did that for awhile and then eventually, being a foolish young person, not being able to see ahead and not see the foresight of how valuable it would have been for me to keep those organ lessons up, I dropped the organ in leau of the drums.

J.R. : So the drums stole your heart then?

Dubie: Yeah, the drum set did and then I really fell in love with the whole percussion ensemble and percussion orchestra in college. I really loved the marching thing, just the whole idea of getting 20 young people to think like one and play like one was just a great, tremendous part of being in it. And then teaching it and getting them to achieve that was such a great feeling. I just love that, it's good stuff.

Jimmy Rae