Geary McDonald Forbes is originally from Colmesneil, Texas, a small town in South East Texas.  He attended Trinity Valley Community College earning an associate's degree in liberal arts. Geary then transferred to the University of Texas at Tyler and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in music education. He attended graduate school at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), and served as a graduate assistant for the instrumental division.  During his time at UNO, he won the University Concerto Competition, becoming the first Music Education major to do so in the history of the contest.

After completing his graduate course work, he returned to Texas and began teaching at Commerce Middle School as the Director of Middle School Bands.  A year later, he accepted a position as Head Middle School Director of Bands for Gladewater Independent School District. While in Gladewater, he also taught applied saxophone at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas.

Upon relocating to Georgia in 2004 Geary became Director of the High School Band at Chapel Hill High School in Douglasville.  He is currently Director of Bands for Cross Keys High School.

Under his guidance, the Cross Keys band has made tremendous strides in achieving regional and state recognition for Festival performances.  The Cross Keys High School Band attended the Region IV Concert and Sight Reading Festival in 2007. For the first time in eighteen years Cross Keys earned a 2nd Division in Concert and 1st Division in sight reading.

Geary's professional interests include composing for various music genres, directing ensembles, and operating a private woodwind studio.  His compositions have been debuted by the Atlanta International School, Chapel Hill High School, Gladewater, and Commerce Middle Schools. A number of his private students have been extremely competitive in the Georgia, and Texas All State Tryouts. He is currently under commission to write a song cycle for the Atlanta Jewish Children's Choir.

In addition to serving as assistant conductor, Geary is also the lead alto saxophone with the band and plays soprano and alto saxophones with the Band of America Saxophone Ensemble.