By Cherisse Moe
With a Berklee College of Music degree in hand, Marcus Prince returned to Trinidad in 2020 determined to share his musical knowledge with his fellowmen.
One year later, he teamed up with his equally talented wife, Tamarau- a multi-skilled musician and member of the National Philharmonic Orchestra – to launch Tamar Music Academy. In their Diego Martin home studio, Prince imparts the intricacies of the steelpan while Tamarau teaches violin, piano, and vocal techniques.
The academy has become a sanctuary for music lovers of all ages; his youngest student is seven, his
oldest, a senior citizen. “I have a student who uses the lessons as therapy because he has a very important and demanding job. It’s been helping him to balance his work life,” Prince says, pointing out the positive impact of his weekly, one-hour-and-thirty-minute music sessions.
Prince’s long-term vision extends beyond instrument mastery. The goal of the Academy is to nurture musicians holistically and to educate them on the often-overlooked business aspects of the music industry, such as financial management and contract negotiation. “Being a musician involves more than just playing an instrument,” he says.
“It’s about legacy and securing a future for yourself and your family.” The holder of an Artist Diploma in Music Performance from the University of Trinidad and Tobago, Prince specialised in the steelpan during his four-year tenure at the prestigious Berklee College in Boston, Massachusetts. His time there, he tells us, was transformative.
It shaped his musical style and broadened his horizons. Deeply influenced by his vibraphone-playing
professors’ profound understanding of percussion, Prince immersed himself in the world of jazz. This experience unlocked a wealth of creative possibilities, inspiring him to fuse the genre’s intricate harmonies with the distinctive rhythms of Caribbean music. “They opened my mind to new avenues,” he reflects.
With the steelpan now officially recognised as Trinidad and Tobago’s national instrument, following the passage of legislation in Parliament last month, the 29-year-old educator hails it as a historic, albeit overdue, milestone. “This is a beautiful time not just for the steel pan fraternity but our country,” states Prince, a huge advocate for the integration of both pan and music technology into school curricula from kindergarten.
“Exposure is important. I’ve seen schools around the world exposing their children to music and music technology from a very young age. I’ve seen how it benefits not only the person, but the country in the long run. We can be birthing the next Grammy-award winning steelpan player, or film scorer of an Oscar winning movie.”
From the moment he first struck the steelpan at six-years-old, a musical odyssey began for Marcus Prince. His God brother Jason, who he lived with at the time, and who was already making a name for himself as the best steelpan player at their Diego Martin Boys’ RC School, motivated him to embrace the instrument. He recalls that, “one day, I saw our teacher pull up to the house to pick him up to take him to an event, and I was in awe. Like what was this special treatment? He was also very popular at school because of the pan, the best of his group. They were kind of like the avengers. I wanted to be a part of that.” Jason, a few years his senior, initially taught Prince to play “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and then, the National Anthem.
The vibrant, pulsating rhythms emanating from the oil drums resonated deeply with the young pannist. He joined the school’s Steel Orchestra and under the guidance of Mr Kendell Lewis, Prince honed his craft.
As the music flowed from his fingertips, he found a sense of solace and purpose he hadn’t known he craved. “It didn’t feel like a chore or a burden but a way I can express myself musically and tell stories through this beautiful instrument.” He subsequently became a member of the Merry Tones Steel Orchestra, which he credits for his early development.
“Academically I wasn’t the strongest. I tried my best, but it wasn’t easy. I’m grateful for a second chance… Music provided a second chance.”
Today, as Prince imparts his wisdom to a new crop of musicians, he believes his journey, a symphony of highs and lows, unfolded just the way it should. “Growing up there were two things I was really good at, playing the steel pan and football.
There was a point I thought of choosing football professionally but God’s plans were better than mine.” he reflects, adding that, “It has been an amazing experience. It hasn’t been perfect but with God nothing is wasted.”
