bˈɑːɹloʊ wʌzɐ kˈoːɹɪstɚɹ æt kˈæntɚbˌɛɹi kɐθˈiːdɹəl bᵻfˌoːɹ stˈʌdiɪŋ æt kˈɪŋz skˈuːl, kˈæntɚbˌɛɹi, ðˈɛn mˈuːvɪŋ tə tɹˈɪnᵻɾi kˈɑːlɪdʒ, kˈeɪmbɹɪdʒ, wˌɛɹ hiː wʌz ɐn ˈɔːɹɡən skˈɑːlɚ.
Barlow was a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral before studying at King's School, Canterbury, then moving to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was an Organ Scholar.