Washington McClain holds degrees in musicology and oboe performance from Northeast Louisiana University and a master in oboe performance from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. A specialist on Baroque and Classical oboes, he has performed with many groups in the United States, including The City Musik (Chicago), Seattle Baroque Orchestra, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (San Francisco), Apollo’s Fire (Cleveland), Opera Lafayette (Washington, D.C.), and Washington Bach Consort.In Canada and Europe, Washington has performed with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, serving as core oboist for seven years, Pacific Baroque Orchestra (Vancouver), The Netherlands Bach Society, and is currently principal oboist of l’Ensemble Arion in Montréal, Québec.
Washington’s extensive teaching and performing experience in workshops and festivals in North America include The Amherst Early Music Festival, Albuquerque Baroque Double Reeds, the Madison Early Music Festival, The International Baroque Institute at Longy (Boston), Festival International de Musique Baroque de Lamèque (New Brunswick, Canada), The Staunton Music Festival (Virginia), and the Boston Early Music Festival. He is also the first period instrument performer to be featured in an article of Windplayer Magazine.
Washington has recorded for the Sony Classical, ATMA, Analekta, Naxos, Centaur, and CBC Records labels, and currently teaches at The Early Music Institute at Indiana University in Bloomington. He makes his home in Windsor, Ontario (Canada).