Derek Bourgeois
BIOGRAPHY
Derek Bourgeois was born in
He has composed thirty-five
symphonies, seventeen concertos, several other extended orchestral works, seven
major works for chorus and orchestra, two operas and a musical. As well as a considerable quantity of
chamber, vocal and instrumental music, he has composed twelve extended works
for Brass Band and six symphonies for Symphonic Wind Band. He has also written a considerable amount of
music for television productions.
From 1970 to 1984 he was a
Lecturer in Music at Bristol University.
He was the conductor of the Sun Life Band from 1980 until 1983, and during the same period was Chairman of the
Composers' Guild of Great Britain, and a member of the Music Advisory Panel of
the Arts Council.
In September 1984 he gave up
his university post to become the Musical Director of the National Youth
Orchestra of Great Britain. In 1988 he
founded the National Youth Chamber Orchestra of Great Britain which held its
first course in the Summer of 1989. In
1990 he was appointed Artistic Director of the Bristol Philharmonic Orchestra.
He left the National Youth
Orchestra in August 1993 to become the Director of Music of St Paul's Girls' School
in London. He retired to Mallorca in
July 2002 where he now lives as a
full-time composer.