Derek is a Yorkshireman who studied Classical Languages and later, music at the University of Durham. As a teenager he played violin in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and a European tour with them in 1955 inspired him to travel as often as possible and to speak, however falteringly, a few European languages.

He held teaching posts at the Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe (where he remembers the renowned conductor Richard Hickox as a chubby, rosy-cheeked son of a local vicar), at the Skinners' School in Tunbridge Wells and finally, at Beacon Community College in Crowborough. Since he retired from teaching he has devoted his time to a large number of musical activites.

His first concert as Conductor of the Royal Tunbridge Wells Choral Society in 1973 included Walton's Belshazzar's Feast. Since then he has been conductor of the Mid-Sussex Sinfonia and occasional conductor of the Royal Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra. Derek is also well-known as a pianist with the Sussex Camarata and with the Little London Trio who perform at music venues in Sussex.

For many years he has written reviews for the Kent and Sussex Courier and for the Green Room Music Club and this type of writing is something he particularly enjoys.

In 1992 Derek was awarded the MBE for services to music.