Derek Bourgeois
Encyclopedia
Derek Bourgeois 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 now focuses exclusively on composing.
He has written so far 65 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.
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(honours degree and doctorate), he spent two years at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
studying composition with Herbert Howells
Herbert Howells
Herbert Norman Howells CH was an English composer, organist, and teacher, most famous for his large output of Anglican church music.-Life:...
and conducting with Sir Adrian Boult
Adrian Boult
Sir Adrian Cedric Boult CH was an English conductor. Brought up in a prosperous mercantile family he followed musical studies in England and at Leipzig, Germany, with early conducting work in London for the Royal Opera House and Sergei Diaghilev's ballet company. His first prominent post was...
.
From 1970 to 1984 he was a lecturer in music at Bristol University, and then Director of the National Youth Orchestra
National Youth Orchestra
The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain is an orchestra of 163 young musicians from the United Kingdom. The members of the orchestra are all aged between 13 and 19 years. The players are selected by auditions which take place in the autumn each year at various locations in the country...
. 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 now focuses exclusively on composing.
He has written so far 65 symphonies
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
, 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
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
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.