He was formally trained and educated at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music, and Howard University where he was a vocal performance major and is a graduate of the University of Maryland. He studied voice with international soprano Jeanne Piland, the late Carolyn Grant and the late Isaiah Lurry. He was the opening act for the great rhythm and blues singer Phyllis Hyman and has shared the stage with many notables including jazz pianist Barry Harris and Jon Hendricks of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. He has performed nationally as well as in Europe, Canada and Africa. McNair is the recipient of numerous awards, grants, and recognitions among them a Fellowship to the Juilliard School of Music and the University of Ghana where he did field studies in the village of Dagmenta in traditional African Drumming, rhythm, and ritual. He also spent 3 years at the Dalcroze School of Music in New York City, studying Eurhythmics (a method of music education that teaches every aspect of music through movement). He continues to perform and teach and is completing a performance DVD and CD on the “History of Jazz through Song”. McNair studied piano with the late Thomas Kerr and jazz piano and improvisation with the late Maria Rodriguez. He has completed all course work for the Professional Diploma in Piano Pedagogy from the Levine School of Music. He is also a certified Yoga instructor, a member of the International Association of Jazz Educators, the Dalcroze Society, the National Association of the Teachers of Singing (NATS) and the Creativity Coaching Association.
