Barrow’s Young Musical Talent

The first thing you notice as you approach the house that Joseph Geary lives at with his parents Kerry and Aidan, is its name. Engraved in slate, ‘Chi Ilow’ turns out to be Cornish (Aidan hails from there originally) and translates as ‘House of Music’. Once you know this, it comes as no great surprise that Kerry and Aidan are both musicians (violin and percussion respectively). Nor is it surprising that 17-year-old Joseph has inherited all the right genes and plays the flute well. Very well, in fact. A musical house indeed.

Kerry is Barrow born and bred and in earlier times sang in the choir at Holy Trinity. Although the Geary family have lived in a number of locations over the years – on tour as perhaps they might say – they have been living in the village, just a few doors up from Kerry’s parents as it happens, for the last twelve years. So Barrow has very much been Joseph’s home for most of his life.

And so to the flute, which Joseph began playing aged six and which he took to like a duck to water. This saw him taking lessons, playing with other young people in small groups and orchestras including eventually the National Schools Symphony Orchestra and English Schools Orchestra. He has had great success in national competitions and this year won the British Flute Society’s Young Performer category. He has also been appointed the Bardi Orchestra’s Young Musician for 2023, which allowed him to play a concerto with the orchestra in Leicester earlier this year. He plays a Miyazawa flute, which is a leading make, and the company has been so impressed with him that it has endorsed him as a global emerging artist.

Heady stuff indeed, but Joseph is of course still at school and is studying for his A levels. Music is one (of course) but also French and Spanish, and languages more generally are something that he is also greatly interested in – another form of communication alongside music, as he puts it. During lockdown, he even had a go at learning Cornish although he says he’s some way from conversational yet! And peering over the top of the music stand into the future, the intention is to go to music college in London next year, ideally the Royal College of Music. And beyond that, to play in a symphony orchestra. Joseph likes the idea of living in France at some point, so if there are any vacancies for fl autists there, I’m sure he’ll be interested!

With such an impressive track record for one so young, it would be a pity indeed if Joseph were to hide his considerable light under a bushel in the village. As it happens, the light will be well and truly switched on at the music festival in Holy Trinity church on 6 October, when he will be one of the solo performers, playing a programme yet to be announced. And if you should like the thought of the highest quality of musicianship at a wedding or other comparable occasion, then Joseph’s talents are available for hire. He’s contactable via Instagram at @josephgearyflute.

But hurry, he’ll be off next year.

Guy Silk