JTC 24: Singing Out Loud

While Antoin Marshall has always been a singer, it took some time to find his voice – figuratively.

"Music wasn't seen as a viable career choice in the early 2000s," said Marshall, who grew up in Africa. "Everyone wanted their children to become a doctor or lawyer or engineer – something that would set them up for life. That's one of the reasons why my parents were happy to push me in that direction.

"But I was not having a great time studying pharmacy, and music was calling me."

This May, Marshall is slated to graduate with a master's degree in vocal performance from the University of Mississippi. Along the way, he has been an advocate for the importance of careers in music to his friends, fellow classmates and, most importantly, his mother.

Marshall was born in Jamaica but moved with his family to Botswana when he was 1.

"I remember music being very instrumental in my childhood," he said. "I was part of the children's choir in my church in Botswana with so many different people; Botswana was a melting pot and still is.

"The choir director would always say, 'That child has such a big voice.' They would give me the mic to carry the sound. From that time, I was inspired to sing and enjoy myself. I keep in touch with my choir director, and we talk about how far I've come."

After his father's death, Marshall, along with his mother and sister, moved back to Jamaica in 2008. He continued his involvement in choir, becoming his church's youth choir director before taking classes at Montego Bay Community College and directing the award-winning choir there.

Marshall then enrolled at the University of Technology to study pharmacy. However, "music started to take over," he said.

Down the road from the University of Technology, Marshall would sing at the University of the West Indies with its University Chorale. He also performed with the Jamaican Youth Chorale, which is one of Jamaica's premier youth choirs.

"I continued to explore choral music with classical undertones, and I saw a lot of friends who were pursuing music as their profession," he said. "They were enjoying themselves and doing what they wanted to do.

"That's what inspired me to branch out and try to do what I loved and not necessarily what other people thought would be the best for me."

At the time, recruiters from Alcorn State University were visiting the University of the West Indies. Marshall connected with the professor and was ultimately offered a full ride to the university.

Convincing his mom was a more challenging task, he said.

"It was a difficult conversation because I had lost my dad, and Mom was the main breadwinner," he said. "We made ends meet month-to-month and a mother only wants what is best for her children. She needed to know how I was going to take care of myself."

That proof came soon after he began participating in singing competitions at Alcorn State. Following his first competition in 2018, he was named state champion in the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition three times.

"When I entered, I showed my mom that my work, my drive and my passion is paying off," he said. "She was excited that things were looking up and she began to have a great understanding of what I'm trying to accomplish.

"It's priceless when a parent can see what you're trying to do with something that you love to do and get behind you 100%."

Marshall enrolled at UM for graduate school in 2022, and he continued to thrive in his study of music. During his time at Ole Miss, he sang two major operatic roles with UM Opera Theatre's performances of "Alcina" and "Turn of the Screw."

He sang in a master class with international operatic tenor Lawrence Brownlee and presented research on "The Impact of Gladys Bentley's Sexuality on her Musical Success" at the Isom Student Gender Conference.

He has also toured in Belgium and France through study abroad courses with the UM Concert Singers.

All the while, Marshall served as a lecturer of voice at the satellite campus of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Montego Bay.

His endeavors did not come without challenges, however. Marshall fought sickness multiple times during graduate school, which is especially troublesome for a singer.

"I rely on my body to perform," he said. "Today my voice isn't 100%, and I'm in opera rehearsals. I'm going to give myself grace today. The task is not necessarily how much you can accomplish, but the task is for you to keep going.

"Whether it falls apart today, you get up tomorrow and try again. At some point you're going to be able to make it and be proud of yourself that you didn't stop."

Cara Matlock Jones, choral activities administrative secretary, was a source of support for Marshall while he was navigating a new campus and recovering from illness.

"He's a perfectionist, but that comes with being such an amazing performer," Jones said. "I've watched him grow and become more sure of himself as a performer – and his performances speak for themselves.

"He's not just talented; he's a smart young man and focused on where he wants to be. I remember him calling me after visiting NYC and saying he felt he would be there one day performing on a big stage, and I promised him that if he saved me a front-row seat, I would be there to see him shine."

Nancy Maria Balach, chair of the Department of Music, worked with Marshall while he was a graduate assistant for Living Music Resource, a university initiative that blends education, entertainment and global connectivity through arts events and experiential learning. She said he was instrumental in creating content for the program's livestream talk show series, as well as serving as a liaison to visiting artists.

Balach's wish is for Marshall to stay "true to himself" as he departs the university.

"I hope he continues sharing his unique talents and knowledge," she said. "That will cast the brightest light on the world around him.

"Our graduate students leave truly understanding themselves as artists and ready to go to that next chapter. Antoin may feel scared about the next step, but he's ready to jump out of the plane; he has a parachute that says 'Ole Miss' on it, and he knows how to use it. I can't wait to watch him soar."

After graduation, Marshall will attend an American Institute of Musical Studies summer music program in Graz, Austria, as a young artist in the Lieder Studio. The program prepares students for a career as a professional musician during six weeks of intense training.

Marshall will continue to pursue his passion.

"Music has allowed humans to express themselves since the dawn of time," he said. "It speaks to our universal emotions: love, sadness, anger. Whether watching opera or listening to a civil rights anthem, music transports us and delivers powerful messages. It's a driving force for revolutions and change.

"Can you imagine a world without music? It would be so boring!"

See more photos from Antoin Marshall's Journey to Commencement