AJ Rubin

Major: Performance
Minor: American Roots
Semester: 7th
Semester Abroad: Spring 2023

AJ Rubin always dreamed of traveling the world and creating art inspired by those travels—a dream that became reality when he studied abroad at Berklee's campus in Valencia, Spain, in the spring semester.

“My study abroad experience was invaluable for the adventures and personal connections I made, as well as the innumerable doors that were opened for me that I hadn’t known were there in the first place,” says Rubin, a performance major with an American roots minor. 

Rubin, who is a trumpet player, was walking home from class in Valencia when he unexpectedly met fellow Berklee students Emily Sclar, a violinist, and Wyatt Crowther, a clarinetist. They started talking and quickly realized that they had a lot in common: a Jewish background and a love for Klezmer; and collectively they played the three primary melody instruments in Klezmer, a genre of music that draws on Jewish traditions from around the world.

They started the Klezmer Klub, and their band was selected as the closing act for INOCON 2023, a music and technology conference hosted by Berklee Valencia that features rising innovators in the industry.

“I made one of my dreams come true by having a Klezmer band be the closer for a large-scale, high-energy rock/pop concert,” Rubin says. “We did such a great job that the audience was dancing the hora, a traditional Jewish dance, and it was fabulous to see.”

 

Here, Rubin discusses how studying abroad expanded his technical musical skills and knowledge of Klezmer and Balkan brass music, and enabled him to travel through Europe—setting the stage for future career and travel journeys.

What made you decide to study abroad at Berklee Valencia?

Valencia appealed to me for many reasons including the beautiful weather, recommendations from numerous peers and mentors, and the fact that, being a person of Jewish heritage, the Iberian peninsula has a deep connection to my people’s history. A lover of history and of my culture, I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to learn more and dive deeper into the connections between Ashkenazi (Eastern Europe) and Sephardic (southern Europe, Iberian peninsula, Middle Eastern, and African) Jewish traditions. I had always intended on traveling the world, and this was a perfect chance to begin those travel journeys. 

How did that experience expand your musical talent?

I worked on the brass music of the Balkan region, a genre I had previously not explored, with my trumpet teacher Timotej Kotnik, who is from Slovenia and grew up with that music. Balkan brass music shares a lineage with other genres that I am passionate about, specifically Klezmer and music/stories from Romani tradition that aren’t often represented in contemporary American culture. In studying the music of the Balkans, I made further connections to the history of the other genres. I spoke with my professor about Jewish culture in the Balkan region and the wars that have been seemingly constant as far back as anyone can remember. From a technical standpoint, I worked on the peculiar method of embellishments that is often present in Balkan music. These embellishments take the form of rapid trills and turns on a majority of the melodic notes in a given passage, which sound very cool but are difficult to implement—though I made great progress in my time in Valencia.

The other primary musical takeaway from my semester abroad was the chance to explore firsthand the history of Spanish music and the intersections of Klezmer with music of the Iberian Peninsula. The way this study of Spanish culture and Sephardic Klezmer was most transformative was in the realization that people of Jewish heritage have existed and been vital to societies, history, and innovation around the globe for millenia, even though there is a frequent depiction of “the Jews” as outcasts or nuisance to society that ultimately must be expelled or killed. Learning about the inquisition and subsequent demonization of Jewish people in Spain gave me more vital context for the heart and soul of Klezmer and strengthened my connection to the music, which comes out in my performances. I also enjoyed learning about the different scales that existed in Spanish, Moorish, and Jewish cultures, all of which have different names—Spanish Phrygian, Spanish minor, Ahava Rabbah, and Freygish—but similar colors and emotions associated with them. This is evidence that we really are one people across the globe, just separated by time in a way.

What was your favorite class at Berklee Valencia, and why?

My favorite classes were History of Music in the European Tradition and Spanish Music, Culture, and Society, both taught by professor Cristóbal Vogúmil Abellán de la Rosa. These classes were so jam-packed with information, and Cristóbal's teachings went hand-in-hand perfectly to create an accessible wealth of information that I could then go explore in the real world as I traveled in Spain and throughout Europe, visiting historically significant locations.

We went on a Berklee day trip to the Roman aqueducts in Chelva, Spain, that was extremely memorable. In Cristóbal’s class we had discussed the history of Roman architectural advances in the Iberian Peninsula and their role in establishing the Iberian Peninsula as a larger power. Then, to be able to visit the real-life roman aqueduct and see the scale of this structure that has lasted two-plus millenia was awe-inspiring. 

What's one activity or project you participated in that's particularly memorable?

I cofounded, led, and played trumpet in the Klezmer Klub band that ended up closing INOCON, the end-of-semester Berklee showcase. It was a truly memorable occasion to perform at the 14th century abbey where INOCON was hosted. We featured three pieces that illustrated the breadth of sounds and styles that make up Klezmer. We played a traditional Frailach dance from Ashkenazi tradition; "Joseph Joseph," a song from American Klezmer of the 1940s—though the song existed long before then, it was made famous in America by the Andrew Sisters and Benny Goodman; and "Librescu Tango," which is a Klezmer piece from the Jewish diaspora in Argentina. It was an incredible show and so much fun.

What surprised you the most about Valencia? 

How friendly and welcoming all the locals were, the sheer quantity of orange trees lining the streets, and how unbelievably blue the sky was.

What's your fondest memory of your time abroad?

I have too many fond memories to pick one, but I will always cherish the time I spent with Julian, my 3-year-old cousin who lives in Berlin, Germany. I had never met him in person, and I got to spend five days with him and his mom, my cousin Hayley, take him on outings in Berlin, and go to museums with him. I will always hold these memories dear to my heart.

One of my many fondest memories in Valencia specifically was seeing the full moon reflecting on the Mediterranean Sea—a sight I had dreamed of since I was a young boy—while I laid in the sand with my new dear friend Sam discussing the big and little things in the world, before sitting in silence for a beautiful amount of time meditating with the sounds of the waves lapping on the shore. I will never forget that moment.

What was your greatest challenge, and how did you overcome it?

I had a bit of difficulty, as I often do, with maintaining consistent eating and sleeping habits, especially when I was doing trips nearly every weekend to other countries. The main thing that helped restore some form of regularity to my eating schedule was taking turns cooking dinner with my friends. It was a lovely social time, and ensured people ate a healthy home-cooked meal at least twice a week.

What do you know now that you didn't know before studying in Valencia?

The most important information I learned in my study abroad is to have a greater context and expanded perspective for the world and the diversity of people who reside in it. This deep learning can only be had through physical real life exploration of the world around us, and my study abroad was the best opportunity for that exploration that I have had so far.

What song best captures your experience in Valencia, and why? 

I would say the song "¿Porqué te vas?" by Spanish musician Jeanette. It’s just a banger in my opinion, but the primary significance of this song to me is the greater things that its creation signifies. In Cristóbal’s class we discussed Spanish popular music through the decades. We talked about Francoist Spain during which jazz and other American music forms were outlawed as they symbolized revolutionary ideals that were dangerous to Francisco Franco’s regime. We saw how the younger generations listened to those genres anyway and how Spanish pop music, while filtered and censored for many decades, eventually broke free of Franco’s constraints. 

When Franco died in 1975 there was a new birth of music and art, and Spanish culture began to be influenced more by the outside world. While "¿Porqué te vas?" came out in 1974, it still symbolizes that time for me, and its use in the film Cría Cuervos has a similar significance, symbolizing the future generations leaving militaristic society behind.

What would you say to someone who is considering studying abroad?

Do It. If you have the means or can acquire them, take this opportunity. While you’re there, talk with as many people as you can. Put yourself out there in the world and talk with people from other countries. Ask them questions about their cultures, families, and stories. You will learn so much and be a better person for it. Go outside of your comfort zone frequently, but set boundaries for yourself in advance to maintain self-care. It’s okay to reevaluate these boundaries every now and then. Learn about the cultures you’re a guest in and do your best to learn the languages. Finally, really allow yourself to put some things on hold, and give yourself as much time to just exist in the world that will be so new to you.