Bio

Derek received his M.Mus in Composition (HD) in 2019 from the University of Sydney’s Conservatorium, which was supervised by Ross Edwards, and his B.Mus in Composition from the Elder Conservatorium (Adelaide University). He was a participant in the 2018 Flinders Quartet Composer Development Program, and his string quartet was subsequently included in their 2020 program.

Derek also has a Ph.D. in philosophy from the Australian National University, and has worked as a researcher, policy-developer, consultant and trainer in the areas of restorative justice, disability, child abuse prevention, and domestic violence.