In addition to being a Senior Teacher of Voice & Piano as well as the Owner / Community Manager of Musicologie Lewis Center, Justin T. Swain serves as Adjunct Professor of Voice at Ohio University (Athens) where he teaches voice (musical theatre and contemporary styles). Justin is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and a Master of Arts in Vocal Pedagogy where he was awarded “Most Outstanding Graduate Associate” and was a student of both Dr. Scott McCoy (author of Your Voice: An Inside View) and Dr. Robin Rice (author of Great Teachers on Great Singing). Justin served for two years as the vocal performance area’s administrative assistant and taught applied voice as a graduate teaching associate within the OSU School of Music working with music majors and contemporary voice students. Prior to completing his graduate studies in music, he completed a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at Ohio State, and an Associate of Arts degree at Columbus State where he assisted in the piano lab and was awarded the prestigious “Man of the Year” award for his contributions to the campus through his volunteer work and with various student organizations. Justin has studied and performed piano for over a decade with notable teachers Rose Zuber, Dr. Maria Staeblein, Dr. Sekyeong Seong, and Dr. Pei-Sin Chen.
A Columbus native, Justin has served as Opera Columbus’ Teaching Artist (2018-2020), in concert with the McConnell Chamber Orchestra (2021), the Lincoln Theatre (Arias and Ebony 2021), been featured in the Columbus Italian Festival (2012 & 2018), in concert with Harmony Project Columbus (2015), with the New Albany Symphony Orchestra (2016 & 2018), with Opera Project Columbus (Maestro Spinelloccio in Gianni Schicchi 2017), has given a number of public and private recitals, and has performed four world premiere works. Additionally, Justin has performed numerous times with Opera Columbus as a chorister, on the main stage (Senator Joe McCarthy, Interrogator, Estonian Frank in Fellow Travelers 2022), (Baron Duophol in La Traviata 2016), as a member of their touring Education Outreach program for two seasons (2015 & 2017), Opera On The Edge (Marcello in La Bohème 2016), as a member of The Voice of Freedom touring performance group (2018-2020), and in Twisted 3, a collaboration with BalletMet and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (Pinellino in Gianni Schicchi 2019). Justin has also appeared with the Denison University Wind Ensemble performing Armando Bayolo’s Last Breaths (2021). Justin returns to the Lincoln Theatre with Opera Columbus in their historic performance of Vanqui in which he will perform the roles of Davids and Ulysses as part of the company’s 40th season anniversary.
As an academic, Justin owns and maintains the free database of phonetic transcriptions website, IPA Resource Center (IPAResourceCenter.com), has contributed the full breadth of digital transcriptions of vocalises for Dr. Robin Rice’s book, “Great Teachers on Great Singing,” available through Inside View Press (VOXPed.com), has guest lectured at The Ohio State University working with students of Prof. Ed Bak and Dr. Laura Portune, and has served as a clinician in the Central, OH region of choral programs of area middle and high schools.
With over nine years of teaching experience, Justin specializes in working with adolescent and adult singers looking to prepare for collegiate studies in voice or productions, adult and child beginner to late intermediate piano studies, and both performers of classical and contemporary styles of music.
Justin’s teaching methods are best suited for serious students looking to prepare for a lifetime of music-making, truly understanding their instrument, enhancing their musical knowledge/competency, and who look to improve their overall technical ability and health through the study of classical and contemporary techniques.
Beyond his training in the Bel Canto (classical) tradition of vocal technique, Justin is a versatile performer and teacher with extensive background in contemporary vocal pedagogy and works with clients in modern styles ranging from jazz, R&B, pop, musical theatre, folk, to rock.
Justin holds affiliations and memberships with the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Black Classical Music Educators (BCME), Ohio Music Educators Association (OMEA), the Royal Conservatory of Music Certificate Program (RCM), the Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA), Estill International, and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society Alpha Rho Chapter.
Click Here to view Justin’s CV or Click Here to visit Justin’s Website