Michael Rubin Harmonica
WordPress to static site migration, accessibility remediation, and optimization for an Austin-based musician.
Project Overview
Michael Rubin is a professional harmonica player based in Austin, Texas. He has recorded with Grammy-nominated artists, performed on Broadway, and toured nationally with bands including The Outlaw Years (a Willie Nelson tribute) and The McMercy Family Band. His existing site ran on WordPress with custom HTML, CSS, and PHP templates and needed a full modernization.
The Problem
WordPress was overkill for what was essentially a professional brochure site — adding backend overhead, slower load times, and maintenance complexity that didn't serve the content. The existing markup also carried accessibility issues that made parts of the site harder to navigate for some users.
What I Did
- Rebuilt the site as a clean static site and deployed on Netlify, replacing the WordPress/PHP backend entirely
- Audited for accessibility issues and implemented fixes — color contrast, ARIA labels, keyboard navigation, and heading structure
- Reorganized and cleaned up content across all pages: Welcome, About, Studio & Gigs, Lessons, Testimonials, Albums, and YouTube Archive
- Optimized the site for performance and long-term maintainability — no database, no plugin updates, no admin panel required
Outcome
A faster, more accessible site that reflects Michael's standing in the music world and is easy to update without a WordPress admin.
Role:
Static Site Migration · Accessibility Remediation · Performance Optimization
Client:
Michael Rubin Harmonica
Stack:
HTML · CSS · Netlify (migrated from WordPress / PHP)
michael-rubin-harmonica.netlify.app
Let's Work Together
I'm looking for teams that need someone who can communicate, enable, and execute. Someone who understands products deeply and can help the people around them do the same. If that sounds like what you're building, I'd love to talk.