full biography
Gareth McLearnon began his flute playing career in his native Belfast, making his way through the ranks of the 39th Old Boys Flute Band, studying with the legendary Billy Dunwoody MBE and the Ulster Orchestra's principal flute Colin Fleming, before moving to London in 1999 to attend the Guildhall School of Music & Drama where he studied with Ian Clarke, Samuel Coles, Sarah Newbold and Averil Williams. On completion of his undergraduate studies, he studied with Michael Cox and Samuel Coles for a year of postgraduate study. Whilst still a second year student at Guildhall, Gareth was lucky enough to be asked to record with the legendary flute-player, Sir James Galway and Harpist Marisa Robles for the charity CD Songs for Alexander.
Gareth is an active composer and arranger of music, his publisher Theodore Presser Company have produced a collection of his Irish Flute and Piano arrangements entitled "Round Ireland with a Flute", released in August 2008 at the Kansas City NFA Convention. This all happened following Sir James Galway playing one of Gareth's arrangements on Live at the Lincoln Center to a US TV Audience of around 8 million people in December 2004. Gareth also launched his debut album "Sounds of Home" at the Kansas City convention, which has all of the tunes from his book, plus seven extra tracks including Hamilton Harty's In Ireland and Philippe Barnes' All knowing Salmon. Gareth enjoys playing the music of his homeland in various guises - most recently with the fantastic group Licence to Ceilidh where he often plays on his handmade vintage blackwood Whistles made for him by his good friend William Simmons.
Gareth won the 2003 Ian Fleming Charitable Trust Music Education Award - one of the most esteemed awards that the MBF offers. He also won a Countess of Munster Musical Trust Award and was awarded full scholarships to attend Sir James Galway's Masterclasses in Italy (2003) and Switzerland (2004) Gareth has given recitals all over the UK and Europe for the Ireland Funds, Invest Northern Ireland, and the Concordia Foundation, and was a Making Music Recommended Artist for 2006. He recently performed a selection of his own arrangements to the Prime Minister Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, Rt Hon David Cameron MP, London Mayor Boris Johnson, and a host of other celebrities in Southwark Cathedral. Recent performances include solo performances at Flutewise LIVE! at the Barbican Centre, recitals in conjunction with the Concordia Foundation, a World Premiere performance of James Penny's Flute Concerto, and regular depping gigs playing flute and piccolo in the new West End produciton of "Oliver!".
Gareth is also a professional writer and journalist on flute related topics. A regular contributor to Pan - The Flute Magazine, he has recently composed articles about his good friend, the Folk-Jazz virtuoso Philippe Barnes, and an article on his friend and mentor Andy Findon which appeared in the March 2009 issue. He has had his article entitled: "On buying the Flute" featured in a Wind & Brass issue of Classical Music Magazine and has had several articles published in issues of Flutewise Magazine. Gareth is frequently featured as an expert contributor on flute and music related topics on London's LBC 97.3 Radio Station, and has compiled a comprehensive online flute-buyer's guide for one of the largest music retailers in Europe. Gareth works regularly with the Children's Flute-playing charity Flutewise and has travelled all over the UK and Europe teaching on their residential courses, and conducting their flute choir - most recently conducting the finale of Flutewise LIVE - a massed flute choir of over 500 people!
Gareth gained a place as one of two principal flutes in Southbank Sinfonia - "Britains Professional Orchestral Academy" for its 2005 season which involved being part of nearly 90 concerts including fully staged opera, World Premieres, solo and chamber performances and a solo (World Premiere) concerto.
His professional Orchestral experience also includes playing in concerts and BBC TV & Radio recordings with the Ulster Orchestra, The London Pops Orchestra, Australian National Opera, the National Symphony Orchestra, he has played in several West-End Shows including Lloyd-Webber's Beautiful Game, the Lord of the Rings Musical and Oliver! at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and has toured with Nigel Kennedy. He is a founder member of EMFEB, an exciting young orchestra resident at St. Johns-at-Hackney.
Gareth is a Pearl Flutes International Artist and is also employed by Pearl Music Europe as their Flute Specialist - he plays on one of Pearl's finest custom made 14K Gold Maesta instruments with a 14K Headjoint by Dana Sheridan.
