David Blair McClosky

David Blair McClosky (1902–1988) was a classical baritone, voice teacher, and vocal therapist, and author of two books on vocal technique. His academic positions included Syracuse University, New England Conservatory, Boston University and Boston Conservatory, and his voice clients included President John F. Kennedy, President Lyndon B. Johnson, Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, sportscaster Curt Gowdy, actors Faye Dunaway, Al Pacino, Jill Clayburgh and Ruth Gordon, and folksinger Joan Baez. His method of vocal production, called The McClosky Technique, is now taught by members of the McClosky Institute of Voice.

McClosky was born in Oswego, NY to two professional singers. His career began early: he was first hired to sing at age 17, and began teaching voice while still in high school. He studied for six years at the New England Conservatory, and while in Boston became that city's first radio announcer, on WNAC. During 1927–1934 he appeared as a soloist twenty times with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and also appeared with the New York Philharmonic, and the Minneapolis, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Buffalo Symphonies. In 1934–1935 he undertook postgraduate study in Germany and Italy, and then in 1936 he taught for a semester at Vassar College, where he met his future wife, Barbara Henneberger (1917–2015), whom he would marry in 1944. (Barbara was known professionally in the 1940s as Barbara Jevne.) From 1935–1942, McClosky gave opera, light opera, oratorio and concert performances, and gave four recitals at the Town Hall in New York City. In 1942, McClosky joined the US Army, and performed public relations duties in the USA and Africa.