Always dedicated to his art, by the age of eighteen was the Champion Trombone Player of Great Britain. In the same year he was also a member of the Champion Quartet of Great Britain alongside his fellow members of the BLACK DYKE MILLS BAND. No stranger to the world of entertainment for twenty two years he played with the world renowned SYD LAWRENCE ORCHESTRA as principle trombone and toured with international artists such as Shirley Bassey, Johnny Mathis, Tom Jones, Tony Christie, The Three Degrees and Sir Cliff Richard .

Derek has don e more than 4,000 recording sessions playing with the BBC NORTHERN RADIO ORCHESTRA, JAMES SHEPHERD VERSATILE BRASS as principle trombonist, and YORKSHIRE TELEVISION, GRANADA , WELSH TELEVISION, BBC and many independent television companies as a session musician and soloist.

As a teacher Derek spent six years as Professor of Brass Instrumental Teaching for the British Army. He has spent three years as trombone tutor and examiner for the Leeds College of Music. Whilst trombone tutor at Barnsley College , Derek was the founder and musical director of their Dance Orchestra. He still continues to work with young people and has been responsible for the development of music in schools, setting up and conducting successful wind bands, dance orchestras and brass groups in a number of schools in the Yorkshire and Lancashire areas.

As a soloist, conductor, adjudicator, consultant and clinician Derek has traveled extensively all over the world and continues to do so when the opportunity arises. His credentials as an adjudicator are also impressive , Derek has been adjudicator at Stavanger Festival in Norway, The Yorkshire Regional Championships, The Butlins National Mineworkers Championships, Spennymoor Entertainments Contest, Youth Brass Band Entertainment Festival of Great Britain, The Wharfdale Music Festival, The National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, The Harrogate Music Festival, The National Youth Jazz Orchestra Championships Of Great Britain and the Whit Friday March Contests. Derek is a member of the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators and an approved adjudicator for the British Federation of Brass Bands.