Tesi Johnson, Gleaner Writer

Dr. Mario Guthrie, has put his medical career on hold to attend the Berkelee College of Music to study voice performance and music business/management. - Contributed

Dr. Mario Guthrie, has done what many would consider irrational and put his medical career on hold to pursue his first passion - music.

Dr. Guthrie, in his mid-twenties, last did duties at the Bustamante Children's Hospital as an accident and emergency/casualty officer, enrolled in berklee college of Music, Boston, Massachusetts. The largest independent music college in the world, Berklee has produced musical icons such as Quincy Jones. Earlier this month Guthrie, began studies for a joint-degree in voice performance and music business/management.

"Why would he go and do music now? His parents must be disappointed. What's going to happen to the medicine? Will he make it anywhere?" These are questions and comments that Dr. Guthrie has had to face, since enrolling at Berklee.

However, as he describes it, "once the music bug bites you, you cannot get away from it."

Discovering his passion

The doctor got his first taste of the stage as a tyke at Mona Preparatory School, performing with the school's choir. He gave his first solo performance when he was 13 with the 'Choir Boyz', while attending Campion College.

However, it was not until a year before medical school that he really discovered his passion.

That year, he entered the realm of theatre and performed with the Jamaica Musical Theatre Company (JMTC). He performed in the production Lion King, and played 'Daniel' in the company's limited production of Once on this island among others.

When he started medical school, all this musical indulgence slowed a bit, "but performing was always an itch," he says.

Dr. Guthrie continued to perform when he could, singing with the University Singers, and alongside his peers in productions staged by his faculty.

After finishing medical school, Dr. Guthrie finally got the chance to 'scratch his itch,' and soon did quite a few stints performing backup for local acts like Benjy Myaz, Alaine, and even at the 2006 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, with the Rocky Five Band.

These experiences, paired with a suggestion made by his voice trainer to look into Berklee, prompted him to apply.

In early 2006, he travelled to Boston to do an audition, as part of his application, and by the end of March he had received notice that he was accepted.

Music Management

Dr. Mario Guthrie (standing) in performance at a birthday party in October 2006. - Contributed

Studying voice performance was a natural progression for this tenor. However, the good doctor also has a penchant for music management, which came to the fore after he staged his first live production.

'Live On-stage', Dr. Guthrie's brainchild, for which the theme was "live music on a theatre stage," was held in November 2006 at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Performing Arts, UWI, Mona. The event featured acts such as Benjy Myaz, Brahyhan Art, Camar, and Elan Edwards, and was partly in aid of the Mona Rehabilitation Centre.

"Ideally, I'd like to become a recording artiste, but I'm keeping my scope open, in case that doesn't happen," he says.

Not quitting

Despite this new course, Dr. Guthrie asserts, "I am not quitting medicine. I am basically putting my first passion first," he continues, a choice which many parents would certainly disdain.

His parents, Mrs. Marguerite and Dr. Wendel Guthrie, are actually quite supportive, as described by young Dr. Guthrie.

"Parents often have their own ideals for their children but mine supports me," he says. This support is manifested in their partly funding his musical studies.

Influences

Dr. Mario Guthrie, embraces a patient while working as an intern at the Bustamante Children's Hospital. He has put his aspirations of specialising in pediatrics on hold, to pursue his musical career. - Contributed

The Guthrie family has generally been a rock for young Mario, who credits his older brother, Wayne, for being his greatest influence.

"When I was younger I didn't listen to a lot of music," Dr. Guthrie explains. "It was my brother [Wayne] who listened to a lot of music" and this was the catalyst that jump-started Mario's love for performing.

Wayne Guthrie enjoys music by working as a disc jockey outside of his 'nine to five.'

"Wherever I go I will take him with me, and he'll do the same for me," explains Mario.

For now, Dr. Guthrie will be focusing on excelling in his musical discipline, in a bid to one day become a successful recording artiste, and still practice medicine.

For this Dr. Guthrie can count on always being dubbed 'the singing doc', though he tries fervently to separate the two.