Kelly McLennan

Instruments Taught: Piano, Voice

Originally from Defiance, Ohio, Kelly McLennan holds a Bachelor of Arts – music education degree from Bowling Green State University. She has been professionally singing for 30+ years.

While attending BGSU she had the good fortune to listen, learn from and work with some of the finest musicians and vocalists in the Northwest area (Lori Lefevre, Chris Buzzelli, Jeff Halsey, Johnny O’Neal, Clifford Murphy, Dan Faehnle & Larry Fuller). She was a featured vocalist with the Scott Potter group and the Stan Sterner Big Band.

Since relocating to Columbus in 1989, she has led her own jazz small groups and been a featured artist at various clubs, festivals & concert series (JazzNRibs, Arts Festival, Heisey Big Band, Dick’s Den, Ashland Jazz Series, Lindey’s, 501 Jazz Bar, Hyde Park Grill, etc.) She has had the great honor to work with many of Central Ohio’s finest musicians including the Rick Brunetto Big Band, Jazz to Go, New Remnants, Vaughn Wiester’s FJO and Standard Time.

In the ’90s Kelly was the youngest performer on the Tom Carroll – Women in Jazz series and was mentored by Gary Carney, Hank Marr, Michelle Horsefield-Carney, Marie Walker, Mary McClendon and Jeanette Williams. Kelly is currently featured vocalist with Bonafide Swing, In Full Swing and the Jazz Central Big Band and leads her own group Kelly McLennan +5. She has performed with national artists and bands – The Dorsey Brothers Big Band, Cab Calloway Band, Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Dayton Jazz Orchestra, Louise Bellson, Jon Faddis, Frank Foster and studied with Michele Horsefield-Carney, Mark Flugge, Sunny Wilkinson and Kevyn Lettau. Guest vocalist recordings include Rick Brunetto, Vaughn Wiester and Lisa Clark-Augis.

After an initial screening, lessons draw upon vocal pedagogy, theory, technique, rhythm & ear training, Solfege, musicianship and a variety of genres. Students may also work on songwriting, microphone technique, harmonizing, audition preparation and are encouraged to bring those songs which inspire them, while also working on new material and building their repertoire.

Kelly teaches voice lessons to children and adults.