Gareth McLearnon
Flute
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D.O.B. 17-Jan-1980
email: gareth.mclearnon@gmail.com
phone: +33 (0)7 67 26 67 33
web: www.garethmclearnon.com
Nationality: Ireland & UK Passports
Languages: English (Native) French (C1-C2) German (A1 - undertaking structured study) Russian (A1-A2) -
Gareth McLearnon is an International flutist, published and prolific composer/arranger, pedagogue, and artistic leader with extensive experience in solo performance, chamber music, orchestral work, recording artistry, higher education teaching, with many international festival invitations and an entrepreneurial approach towards guiding the next generation of flutists. Following intensive professional activity in orchestral, theatrical, recording, and educational contexts during the first decade of his career, his work has developed into a sustained global presence combining performance, composing, direction, recording, pedagogy, and artistic leadership
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1999-2003: BMus (Hons) Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London
Professors: Averil Williams, Samuel Coles, Ian Clarke, Michael Cox
2003: Ian Fleming Award – Musicians Benevolent Fund
2003: Countess of Munster Musical Scholarship Award
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1997–1999
Deputy Flute – Ulster Orchestra, Northern Ireland2001-2019
Deputy Flute/Piccolo/Alto Flute/Ethnic Flutes in major London West End productions including – The Beautiful Game, Oliver!, The Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz, The Lion King, Miss Saigon, Wicked, Love Never Dies, Les Miserables, and UK/international Tours2003
Illness Cover - 2nd Flute (Half Season) – Southbank Sinfonia2003–2021
Freelance orchestral engagements in London and throughout the UK (symphony, chamber, and recording projects)2005
Full Member – Southbank Sinfonia
90 Concerts, UK & International Tours, Operas, Ballets, Contemporary Music Premieres, Solo Concerto, Workshops, Community Outreach Projects2009–Present
Principal Flute – Heritage Orchestra
UK & International Tours, Performances & Recordings with Dua Lipa, Elton John, SPARKS; Jane Birkin; Ben Folds; GOLDIE; Seu Jorge; Tim Minchin; Ibiza Classics; BBC Proms performances with Jamie Cullum, Jules Buckley, Pete Tong & Scott Walker. Concerts at Royal Albert Hall, Barbican, Royal Festival Hall, The O2 Arena, Recordings in Abbey Road and AIR Studios.2016–2021
Deputy Flute/Piccolo/Alto/Bass/Contrabass Flute – London Contemporary Orchestra - Concerts, Broadcasts, BBC Prom, Film & TV Sessions2016–Present
Principal Flute – Voces8 Foundation Orchestra - Concerts , Broadcasts and Multiple DECCA Classics recordings2018
Deputy Flute/Piccolo – London Symphony Orchestra - five concerts in total2018
Deputy Principal Flute – Orchestra of St John’s2021
Principal Flute (Enescu Festival) – East-West Chamber Orchestra -
2003-2005
Making Music UK Artist – Recitals with Pianist throughout the UK2003-2019
Concordia Foundation International Artist – Concerts as Soloist in London and throughout the UK, Europe, Africa, China including Mozart D major Concerto with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra in Shanghai Music Hall, Muthaiga Club Recital, Kenya, Queen Elizabeth Hall gala performance, Solo Recitals in St James, Piccadilly, St Paul’s Covent Garden and St Martin-in-the-Fields among many others.2013-2021
Concerto Soloist with Moscow Soloists dir. Yuri Bashmet – concerto soloist in Samara, Chapayevsk (x3), Yaroslavl, Khabarovsk, Sochi (x2), Chelyabinsk.2019
Concerto Soloist with Samara Philharmonic Orchestra2019
Solo Recital - Florianka Hall, Krakow2026
Künstlerhaus Boswil - Switzerland Soloist and Chamber Music in Gala Concert2026 - upcoming
Concerto Soloist at the National Flute Association Convention – premiering Taylor Scott Davis Concertino for Flute & String Orchestra -
2007/08/14/16/18/22/24/26
National Flute Association Convention – USA
Solo Recitals, Solo Performances, Classes, Flute Ensemble, Workshops, Panels, 2026 Concerto Soloist2007/09/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/22/23/24/25/26
Adams Flute Festival - Netherlands
Solo Recitals, Workshops, Masterclasses, Flute Ensemble2010/12/14/25
British Flute Society Convention - Manchester, London, Birminham, UK
Solo Recital, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2013/14
Sir James Galway Flute Festivals - Weggis Switzerland & Athens GA
Solo Performance, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2015/17/19
Australian Flute Festival - Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney
Solo Recitals, Masterclass, Workshop, Adjudication, Flute Orchestra Direction2015/18/21/22/23/24/25
Polish Flute Meeting - Katowice
Solo Recitals, Performances in Gala Concerts, Masterclasses, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2016/17/18
Portuguese Flute Association Festival (AFLAUP)
Solo Recitals, Masterclasses, Workshops, Flute Ensemble Direction2016/18/23/25
Spanish Flute Convention - Bilbao, Valencia, Malaga, Madrid
Solo Recital, Masterclass, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2019
Campos do Jordão Festival - Brazil
Solo Recital, Masterclasses, Orchestral Sectionals, Chamber Music Performances & Coaching2019
Taishan International Music Festival - Dalian, China
Gala Performance, Masterclass, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2019/22
Flautissimo Festival - Rome
Gala Performance & Flute Ensemble2019/24/25
Luxembourg international Flute & Piano Forum
Gala Performance, Masterclass, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2020/22
FlojtFest & Norsk Flute Forum
Solo Recitals, Masterclass, Workshop, Flute Ensemble2022/24/25/26
Finnish Flute Festival - Sibelius Academy/Helsinki Music Centre - Tampere Flute Festival
Solo Recitals, Masterclass, Workshop, Competition Adjudication, Flute Ensemble2023/24
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Flöte - Convention & Festival - Freiburg, Saarbrucken
Gala Performance, Masterclass, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2024
Dorian Music Flute Festival - Taipei, Taiwan
Gala Performance, Masterclass, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2024
Austrian Flute Festival - Vienna & Syrinx Flute Festival - Wolfurt
Solo Performance, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2025
La Traversière Convention - Paris
Performance, Workshops, Flute Ensemble - featured composer2025
Tallinn Flute Festival - Estonia
Gala Performance, Masterclass, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2025
Puerto Rico Flute Festival
Gala Performance, Masterclass, Workshops, Competition Adjudication, Flute Ensemble2025/26
International Flute Seminar Bruges
Gala Performance, Masterclass, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2025
Croatian Flute Festival
Gala Performance, Masterclass, Workshops, Flute Ensemble2026
South African international Flute Festival - Stellenbosch & Pretoria
Gala Performance, Masterclass, Workshops, Flute Ensemble -
2013
The Colburn School, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Flute Class of Jim Walker2015/17/19/20/24
Yale School of Music, New Haven, CT, USA
Flute Classes of Ransom Wilson & Tara Helen O’Connor2016
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow, UK
Flute Classes of Helen Brew, Katherine Bryan, Ruth Morley, Yvonne Robertson2016/23
Hamburg Hochschule für Musik & Theater
Flute Class of Jürgen Franz & Hans Udo Heinzmann2016
Beijing Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing, China
Flute Class of Guoliang Han2017
Stavanger College of Music, Stavanger, Norway
Flute Class of Vidar Austvik2017
Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, Norway
Flute Class of Tom Ottar Andreissen2017/21
Akademia Muzyczna Krakow, Krakow, Poland
Flute Class of Wieslaw Suruło2017
Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, UK
Flute Class of Philippa Davies, Ian Clarke, and Sarah Newbold2018
Gnessin Academy of Music, Moscow, Russia
Flute Class of Vladimir Kudrya2018
Zagreb Academy of Music, Croatia
Flute Class of Renata Penezic2018
St John’s University, Taipei, Taiwan
Flute Class of Chai Fen Tsai2018
Taipei National University of the Arts, Taipei, Taiwan
Flute Class of Jen Pin Lin2018
Ljubljana Conservatory of Music, Slovenia
Flute Class of Alenka Zupan2018/19
Gnessin School of Music, Moscow, Russia
Flute Class of Olga Ivusheikova2019
Central School of Music, Moscow, Russia
Flute Class of Sergei Zhuravel2019
Royal Danish Academy of Music, Copenhagen, Denmark
Flute Class of Ulla Miilmann2019
Jerusalem Music Centre, Israel2019/20/21/24
Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
Flute Class of Carla Rees2019/25
mdw - University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Austria
Flute Class of Wally Hase2020/25
Manhattan School of Music, NYC, NY, USA
Flute Class of Linda Chesis2023
Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA
Flute Class of Susanna Loewy2023
Boyer College of Music, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Flute Class of Prima Kesselmann2023
Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
Flute Class of Naomi Seidman2024
Longy School of Music, Boston, MA, USA
Flute Class of Allison Parramore2024
Sarajevo Conservatory of Music, Sarajevo, Bosnia
Flute Class of Mirna Mlikota2025
Juilliard School, NYC, NY, USA
Flute Class of Carol Wincenc2025
Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Flute Class of Aneila Stoeffels & Carlo Jans2025
Hochschule für Musik Münster, Germany
Flute Class of Eyal Ein Habar -
2018
British Flute Society Young Artist Competition, UK2018
Katowice Flute Competition, Poland2020/22
Towarnicki Flute Competition, Poznan & Warsaw, Poland2022
Pappoutsakis Flute Competition, Boston, MA, USA2023
Cimarosa International Flute Competition, Aversa, Italy2024
Tampere Flute Festival Young Artist Competition, Tampere, Finland2024/25
Dutch International Flute Competition - Pre-Selection & Bachelor Category2025
Puerto Rico Flute Festival Young Artist Competition2024
Concours Maxence Larrieu - Artistic Program Jury -
2016–2022
Sony Interactive Entertainment - Horizon series (Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, Horizon: Call of the Mountain and related titles)
Solo flute - original soundtrack recordings (Abbey Road Studios, AIR Studios, remote sessions). Franchise sales exceeding 30 million copies worldwide.2017–2025
Voces8 & Voces8 Foundation Orchestra
Commercial, album release and broadcast recordings as soloist and Principal Orchestral Flutist (DECCA Classics and associated labels).2022
L’appassionata Chamber Orchestra - Giovanni Sollima: Contrafactus for Flute & Strings - Salle Maffeiana, Verona
Commercial recording release.2016–2025
Heritage Orchestra
Studio and live recording and television projects including Disney, Ibiza Classics, Dua Lipa Live at the Royal Albert Hall, and GRAMMY-nominated RAYE at the Royal Albert Hall (AIR Studios, Abbey Road Studios, on-location recording).2016–2026
London Contemporary Orchestra / English Session Orchestra / Hillary Skewes
Recording sessions for film, television and commercial productions including Alien: Covenant, Magdalene, Ludwig (BBC), Wild Mountain Thyme, Carmella, Satisfaction, and numerous library music projects (AIR Studios, Abbey Road Studios, remote recording).2017
Karl Jenkins - Symphonic Adiemus
Orchestral piccolo2019
Sonixinema - BRUTE FLUTE
Eponymous performer on internationally distributed contrabass flute sample library, featured on numerous international film, television and video-game soundtracks.2016–2019
Spitfire Audio - Sample Libraries (including Bernard Herrmann Composer Toolkit, EVO Winds, Albion Neo, Albion Orchestral Selects and others)
Solo and ensemble flute, alto flute, bass flute, contrabass recordings for commercial orchestral sample libraries. -
Composer and arranger of original works and published arrangements for flute and flute ensemble, widely performed at international festivals and conservatoires, including the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Cadogan Hall, the Concertgebouw, and the Rachmaninoff Hall.
2008
Round Ireland with a Flute for Flute & Piano
Published by Theodore Presser2010
Musical Moments for Flute/Clarinet/Saxophone & Piano
Published by Trinity College of Music Press2010
The Flutewise Theme for Graded Flute Ensemble
Premiere - Flutewise Academy, Purcell School, London, UK2012
Flutewise Fanfare for Graded Flute Ensemble
Premiere - Flutewise Live, LSO St Luke’s, London, UK2013
Single Yellow Line for Graded Flute Ensemble
Premiere - Sir James Galway Flute Festival, Weggis, Switzerland2015
Lamasery Jigsaw for Flute Orchestra
Premiere - Australian Flute Festival, Canberra, Australia2017
Cosmic Dawn for Flute Ensemble
Premiere - Australian Flute Festival, Brisbane, Australia2019
Edge Effect for Flute Ensemble
Premiere - Australian Flute Festival, Sydney, Australia2022
DEEP DISH for Flute Ensemble
Premiere - NFA Convention, Chicago, IL, USA2023
Steel City for Flute Ensemble
Commissioned by Flute Community of Pittsburgh
Premiere - Slippery Rock Honors Flute Ensemble Day, PA, USA2023
Three Sheets to the Wind for Flute Quartet
Commissioned by Dan Parasky
Premiere - Pittsburgh, PA, USA2023
Fondant Forward for Low Flute Ensemble
Commissioned by Birmingham Flute Choir
Premiere - Birmingham, UK2023
AFFanfare for Flute Ensemble
Commissioned by Australian Flute Festival
Premiere - Australian Flute Festival, Sydney, Australia2024
A Peace of the Acton for Flute Ensemble
Commissioned by Wm. S. Haynes Co., Boston
Premiere - NFA Convention, San Antonio, TX, USA2024
Adams Funk Fanfare for Low Flute Ensemble
Commissioned by ADAMS Music Centre
Premiere - Adams Low Flute Festival, Ittervoort, NL2025
HOT METZ for Junior Flute Ensemble
Commissioned by Nathalie Lamour
Premiere - Metz, France2025
Pick Pic Picc for Piccolo Trio
Commissioned by Peter Verhoyen
Premiere - NFA Convention, Atlanta, GA, USA2025
Aurora for Flute Ensemble
Commissioned by the Finnish & Australian Flute Festivals
Dual Premiere - Helsinki, Finland & Sydney, Australia2025
Roots for Flute & Piano
Premiere - Finnish Flute Festival, Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland2025
Fourmies-dabble for Junior Flute Ensemble
Commissioned by La Volière Ensemble
Premiere - Fourmies, FranceUPCOMING PREMIERES
2026
Seconds on State Street for Flute Ensemble
Commissioned by The Chicago Flute Club
World Premiere - Chicago, IL, USA - March 21
European Premiere - Barbican Centre, London, UK - March 262026
Delightfully Naughty for Piccolo & Piano
Commissioned by Peter Verhoyen
Premiere - NFA Convention, Portland, OR, USA - August 8 -
2005–2014
Artist-in-Residence - Pearl Flutes (Japan-based flute manufacturer)
Artistic ambassador and consultant, product testing, product and headjoint development and instrument evaluation.2014–2026
European Artist-in-Residence - Wm. S. Haynes Co. (world’s oldest continuously operating flute manufacturer)
Artistic and technical consultancy. Guiding product and headjoint development; advising on design, materials, and specification; testing and evaluating new instruments; liaising with specialist flute dealers worldwide.