Neighbors: Mark Lubas

Mark Lubas helps people find their natural voices.

“We are all born to sing, just like we were born to speak, because our voices are such a large part of our personalities,” he says. “Many people change and manipulate their natural voice to what they want their self-image to be. My job is to help that person find what I believe is already in there and maybe what that person is just having trouble finding or seeing.” 

Lubas discovered his own voice as a child in Wethersfield, Conn.

“My mom and I loved folk music, and we would sing along to Simon and Garfunkel and Crosby, Stills and Nash,” says Lubas.

During his pursuit of a psychology degree from the University of Connecticut, he realized there was something he liked more.

“I liked the time from 3 to 5 p.m. everyday when I was singing in one of two choirs I was in at school, so I auditioned for the school of music,” he says.

Though a career as a folk singer would have been ideal, Lubas continuously found himself singing musical theater, classical, operetta and opera pieces. He learned to trust the ears and opinions of his teachers.

“I highly doubt that many American kids start out thinking, ‘I want to be an opera singer,’ but it sort of found me,” he says.

When Lubas’ wife, Amy, got accepted to Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School, the two moved to Nashville, Tenn., and he landed a two-year contract with the Nashville Opera. Lubas’ Nashville experience gave him the push he needed to try out for graduate music programs, and, so, when he landed a scholarship to the New England Conservatory, he and his wife headed back up north.

During his time at NEC, Lubas had the fortune of studying under John Moriarty, one of the most knowledgeable, American-born opera professionals in the business. Lubas also started getting three- to eight-week singing gigs all around the country. He graduated from NEC with a master’s in opera and a master’s in vocal performance.

Lubas continued to sing around the country following his graduation while his wife worked in Boston. But when his two children, Jacob and Alex, were born, Lubas realized that being on the road wasn’t going to work. Lubas started to perform locally and began his teaching career, as well.

In 2004, the family moved to Siesta Key to be closer to both sets of grandparents, who had homes in Naples and South Venice.

Through a variety of events, Lubas began working with Bob True, former middle-school headmaster and English teacher at The Out-of-Door Academy. True was a big fan of operettas and wanted the upper school to put on some impressive shows. Lubas was the perfect man to help.

In 2007 Lubas became the director of theater arts at ODA. During his time there he gave input into the new arts building when the school was building a theater. Lubas left ODA in 2010 to start his own business, Lubas Voice & Stage Studio of Sarasota. Today, Lubas teaches more than 50 students, ages 14 to 81, who live and work all over the country. He continues to teach from his home on Siesta Key as well as in the Tampa/St. Pete areas and long distance via Skype.

“My job is to go on a journey with each student and find out what works best for their body, their instrument,” Lubas says.

Check him out at his website: www.marklubas.com