Derek Bourgeois
Derek Bourgeois (born in Kingston upon Thames, 1941) is an English composer. Educated at Cambridge University (honours degree and doctorate), he spent two years at the Royal College of Music studying composition with Herbert Howells and conducting with Sir Adrian Boult.
From 1970 to 1984 he was a lecturer in music at Bristol University, and then Director of the National Youth Orchestra. He was appointed Director of Music at St Paul's Girls School, London in 1994. He has also conducted various orchestras. He retired to Majorca in 2002, and moved to New York in 2008. He returned to the UK in 2009. He now focuses exclusively on composing.
He has written so far 91 symphonies, 14 concerti, 7 major works for chorus and orchestra, two operas, a musical, and music for television. Bourgeois is also well known for his compositions for brass band and wind band, many of which serve as test pieces in the highest level of band competition and include two Concerti for Brass Band, the Concerto Grosso, Blitz, Diversions, Serenade, The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea and Apocalypse.
Derek Bourgeois is married, and currently lives in Wool, Dorset, with his second wife, Norma.