In the Beginning, there was tuba…
Derek  began playing tuba at age of ten in the Germantown Hills fifth-grade band and has loved it ever since. The tuba became his true passion from an early age and is still his primary focus to this day. He began taking private lessons shortly after starting the tuba and throughout his early years enjoyed attending band camps such as Bradley Jr. High Band Camp, Illinois Summer Youth Music, the Smith Walbridge Marching Band Clinic, and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.

Metamora Township Years
Derek attended Metamora Township High School where he received an excellent music education from Mr. Chris Render and Dr. Walter Parks.  Throughout his time at Metamora, he played in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz band, Marching Band, Brass Quintet, a tuba quartet, and directed a tuba ensemble with Metamora students and students from surrounding schools.

Some of his favorite memories from high school were traveling to the Music for All National Festival in Indianapolis, marching through Downtown Disney, visiting Washington D.C., attending his first regional tuba conference at Illinois State University, and his first International Tuba Conference in Bloomington, Indiana.

Derek's trip to the Music for All National Festival is where he was inspired to pursue a career in music after watching the Honor Band of America perform. The following year he was able to participate in the Honor Band of America and the following year performed with the Honor Orchestra of America.

Throughout his high school career, he was also a tubist in the Central Illinois Youth Symphony, actively auditioned and participated in the ILMEA district & All-State Ensembles, and competed in the IHSA Solo and Ensemble competitions. Derek also had the amazing opportunity to perform a solo with the Prairie Wind Ensemble during his senior year of High School.

Derek also met a mentor who would shape his mind as a tuba player, musician, and human being for years to come. Dr. Andrew Rummel taught a masterclass during Derek's freshman year at MTHS. Derek soon after began taking lessons with Dr. Andrew Rummel. Dr. Rummel acted as a musical father as he developed in high school and during his time at Illinois State. He brought Derek in as a student from a young age and helped Derek take his first steps in pursuing a professional music career. Derek remembers driving to Illinois State on Fridays to take weekly lessons with Dr. Rummel and says he wouldn't trade those Friday trips for anything.

Illinois State University
After meeting Dr. Rummel in High School it was an easy decision to complete his undergraduate degree at Illinois State University. Derek's time at Illinois State University helped him grow immensely as a musician and a person.

During Derek's time at Illinois State, he performed in the Chicago Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Heartland Festival Orchestra, Chicago Brass Band, Prairie Wind Ensemble, Peoria Municipal Band, Chicago the Musical, Illinois State large ensembles, chamber ensembles, and the Big Red Marching Machine. He took private lessons, played for his peers in masterclasses, attended conferences, and worked in the College of Fine Arts Dean's Office. Derek also took a variety of classes in business and received a minor in Business Administration while at Illinois State.

During his summers Derek taught at the Illinois State University's Junior-High Band Camp and local marching band programs such as Metamora Township High School, Normal Community High School, Prairie Central High School, and Richwoods High School. Derek also ran live sound and lighting for Illinois State University's freshman orientation titled "Preview".

University of Southern California
At the end of his undergraduate degree, Derek decided he to pursue his Master's Degree at the University of Southern California studying Tuba with Jim Self and Doug Tornquist.

While at USC Derek performed with the Thorton Symphony Orchestra, Thorton Winds, the Trojan Marching Band, The USC Brass Quintet, and The USC Bass Tuba Quartet.

After the completion of his master’s degree, Derek decided to continue his studies in with a Doctoral of Musical Arts degree at USC. Derek’s goals are to further hone his skills in music and find opportunities to perform and be of service to the music industry in LA.

Disneyland Band

On October 19th, 2022 Derek took the Disneyland band audition. On November 1st, 2022 he received a phone call that he was accepted into the band. After many weeks of training, Derek performed with the band in the park for the first time on March, 14th 2023 and now performs frequently on Main Street USA with Disneyland Band in Anaheim California.

Mentors

Eric Loring - Director of Bands - Germantown Hills Middle School
Adam Schneblin - Director of Bands - East Peoria Central High School
Chris Render - Director of Bands - Metamora Township High School
Dr. Walter Parks - Director of Bands - Metamora Township High School
Dr. Andrew Rummel - Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Illinois State University
Dr. Anthony Marinello - Director of Bands at Illinois State University
Dr. Jim Self - Professor of Tuba at The University of Southern California
Dr. Doug Tornquist - Professor of Tuba at The University of Southern California