Sat | Nov 30, 2024

Antoin Marshall looking forward to living out opera dreams

Published:Wednesday | January 24, 2024 | 12:10 AMSashana Small/Staff Reporter
Antoin Marshall
Antoin Marshall
Antoin Marshall
Antoin Marshall
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Antoin Marshall has a dream of performing on opera house stages all over the world, using his gift to share his experiences as a Jamaican and a black man, while also helping to demolish the notion that opera is reserved for the affluent of society.

It is a dream that the 25-year-old is closer to achieving with his acceptance into the American Institute of Musical Studies Lieder Studio programme this summer. The programme, which will be held in Graz, Austria, from July 8 to August 18, brings future opera and concert performers together in a culturally stimulating environment for a one-of-a-kind growth experience.

Many artists who have studied at AIMS have become celebrated performers on the world’s opera and concert stages.

“I was absolutely excited because it’s a big deal for someone of my calibre, ‘cause I’m not rich, so for somebody coming from Jamaica and trying to pursue his dreams within music, it is very exciting to know that if you want something bad enough, if you work towards something hard enough it can come through,” Marshall told The Gleaner of his acceptance.

However, he faces one hurdle; the cost to participate in the programme is US$7,250 (approximately J$1.1 million). Although he received a scholarship of US$3,000 (approximately J$470,000) towards the programme, Marshall said he has difficulties raising the outstanding amount of US$4,710 (approximately J$737,491) which includes an initial fee payment of US$460 (approximately J$72,000).

He said friends and family have been donating, however, he still needs assistance.

“I just want to be able to share the gifts that I have been given with everybody, and to tell stories that are reflective of my experience,” he said.

The first of two children was born in Montego Bay, St James, before his family migrated to Botswana, Africa. Sixteen years ago, they returned to Jamaica, and Marshall said he became actively involved in the music ministry of his church - the Farm Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church in Montego Bay.

“I started to sing solos whenever they would need them and then people started to recognise what I was doing and they would invite me to their harvest celebration or their music celebration, so I started to go around to different Adventists churches that would have events to sing solos,” he shared.

He added that he also served as director of the youth choir, was a member of the in-praise team, and was assistant Adventist youth leader.

Eventually, he was invited to join two gospel groups – Leharia Singers and the Chrysolite Singers – but he said his tenor voice stood out.

“The thing about me singing with these groups was my inability to blend. My voice was just so big that it was very hard sometimes to blend with everybody and that is where I thought maybe this genre is not for me,” he said.

This realisation pushed him to do further research into his voice type and to find singers he could emulate.

Opened his eyes

While attending the University of Technology (UTech), pursuing a degree in pharmacy from 2017-2018, he joined the Jamaican Youth Chorale. This, he said, was an experience that opened his eyes to the possibilities of opera.

“That is where I found that choral music that focuses on the classical technique of singing was where my voice fit best and that was what piqued my interest in opera,” he said.

Inspired, Marshall dropped out of UTech and moved on to Alcorn State University, in Mississippi, United States (US) to pursue a Bachelors of Music-Vocal Performance.

He is currently enrolled at the University of Mississippi where he is pursuing a graduate degree in Opera Performance while at the same time auditioning for other universities as he intends to obtain a Doctorate of Musical Arts as well.

“The first main goal is to make sure that I have a doctorate so that I can be viable in academia... but also to be able to perform at these different opera houses across the world, whether it is in the US or in Europe or even in Asia,” he said.

Ultimately, Marshall wants to return to Jamaica and become a vehicle of exposure for opera by either building a musical institution or working to revamp an institution to make it something that is renowned worldwide.

“I am a Jamaican first, and I’d like to see the opportunities that are offered here in the US offered in Jamaica to people who have the talent, who want to learn and be exposed to these things, but just have not had the opportunity to do so,” he said.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com

If you want to assist Antoin Marshall in fulfilling his opera dream, he can be contacted at a.nm.marshall@gmail.com