American baritone Justin T. Swain serves as an Assistant Professor of Instruction in Classical/CCM/Musical Theatre Voice & Lyric Diction within the School of Music and Faculty Fellow within the Center for Learning, Teaching, and Assessment at Ohio University (Athens). Now pursing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Pedagogy with a specialization in Voice Research through the Shenandoah Conservatory at Shenandoah University, Swain has also earned the Master of Music in Vocal Performance, Master of Arts in Vocal Pedagogy, and Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance degrees from The Ohio State University. Prior to his time at Ohio State, Swain also earned an Associate of Arts degree from Columbus State Community College where he was also awarded “Man of the Year” for his contributions in the piano lab and around campus in various student organizations.

As a pedagogue, Swain was recognized by the National Association of Teachers of Singing and was privileged to serve as a NATS Intern (2023-2024) at Florida State University where he worked with Master Teacher Mike Ruckles and performed in a myriad of vocal masterclasses and workshops.

A Columbus native, Swain has served as a teaching artist for Opera Columbus, been featured in concert with the McConnell Chamber Orchestra, Backstage at the Lincoln, the Columbus Italian Festival, Harmony Project Columbus, New Albany Symphony Orchestra, Opera Project Columbus, and has performed numerous times with Opera Columbus in productions of Vanqui, Fellow Travelers, Gianni Schicchi, Ophée et Eurydice, La Traviata, and La Bohème, as well as a member of their touring Outreach programming in Opera On The Edge, The Voice of Freedom, and productions of Little Red’s Most Unusual Day and The Magic Flute. Swain has also appeared with the Denison University Wind Ensemble, The Ohio State University Wind Symphony, Chorale, Symphonic Choir, and Lyric Opera Theatre, Ohio Wesleyan Chamber Ensemble, and as a soloist with the Clintonville Chorus and Trinity United Methodist Chancel Chorus. Swain’s most recent engagements include a solo Cabaret of Gender Bent Musical Theatre selections in Athens, OH, and the premiere of Roy Swanson's Journey to the Birth of Jesus in Cincinnati, OH. Swain’s upcoming engagements include the televised performance of I, Too, Sing America: Part Two with Opera Project Columbus in June of 2023, and will appear as the bass soloist in the Mozart Coronation Mass with the Cappricio Chorus in Worthington, OH.

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.

A strong advocate of the art of the song recital, Justin has performed several solo recitals and is a champion of the vocal music of Afro-English composer, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

Mr. Swain maintains an active performance career in the Central Ohio region and maintains studios in both Columbus, OH and Athens, OH.