Kathleen McLean

The internationally recognized Kathleen McLean is the associate principal bassoon of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and associate professor at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. She is a sought-after chamber and orchestral musician, recitalist, and teacher.

Kathleen received her training at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia with Dr. Sol Schoenbach and has studied with Mordechai Rechtman, Leonard Sharrow, Sherman Walt, and Chris Millard.

She was appointed to the faculty of the University of Toronto in 1989, became a faculty member at The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School in 2002, and began as a bassoon instructor with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada in 2009.

Her former orchestral appointments include principal bassoon of the Canadian Opera Company and guest principal bassoon with the London Symphony Orchestra and National Arts Centre Orchestra. Since 2001, she has toured extensively with the prestigious World Orchestra for Peace under the baton of Valery Gergiev.

Kathleen has participated in many chamber music festivals, including the Evian International Festival, BBC Proms, Gergiev Festival in Rotterdam, Salzburg Festival, Vancouver Chamber Music Festival, Scotia Festival, and Ottawa Chamber Music Festival. She has been on the jury of the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition, International Double Reed Society, and Megan Quigley Vivaldi bassoon competitions, and is second vice president of the International Double Reed Society.

Kathleen performs frequently with New Music Concerts and the Amici Ensemble, is a founding member of The Caliban Quartet of Bassoonists and Toronto Wind Quintet, and has made several recordings with these ensembles.

You can email Kathleen at km334@hotmail.com