The Choir

Derek’s first steps in music were at the age of 7, when he began to learn to play the cornet in the Salvation Army. From the age of 8 he was a member of the Young People’s Band and the Singing Company (Junior Mixed Choir) at Castleford S.A. This was the time when both faith and a sound musical base was laid.

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Through school years, and having moved onto Tenor Horn, he played with the Yorkshire Schools’ Brass Band, becoming principal solo horn.

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His Secondary School education took him to the, then, Normanton Grammar School, where he benefited from some exceptional and devoted music teachers, as well as peripatetic tutors. He was a member of various music activities, including the school band and choir as well as the school orchestra, having been introduced to the French Horn at school.

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Derek remained in the Salvation Army until his late 20’s. From the age of 16 he was both a member of The S.A. Senior Band, becoming its Tenor Horn Soloist, and a member of the Bass Section in the S.A. Songsters (Senior Church Choir) at Castleford.

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Having spent much time immersed in Brass Banding, it is this latter involvement that made him appreciate choral music more and more.

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In 1980, Derek and his wife, Judith, made the move from the Salvation Army to the Anglican Parish Church in Normanton, where they still worship. Soon after, Derek was asked to take responsibility for the musical worship of the church, becoming its Director of Music, a post (non paid) he held until stepping down in the mid 1990’s.

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Normanton’s musical tradition is eclectic and more contemporary than traditional, but Derek’s wide music appreciation allowed a ‘best of the old and best of the new’ approach. He also taught himself the guitar and electric bass during this time, and transferred his brass skills back to the trumpet and flugelhorn.  Derek and Judith are still part of the music team at All Saints’ Normanton.

​Derek trained and qualified as a Public Finance Accountant and worked for Leeds City Council in various financial and project management capacities for 40 years, before retiring, a little early, in 2008.

He joined the YPC in 2004, sings 2nd Bass and has served on the Choir Committee and later as a Director since 2005. He became Vice Chairman in 2006 and was elected Chairman of the Choir in 2012. He is also Chairman of Directors of YPC Ltd.

When he is not singing or about YPC business, Derek enjoys researching Family History (in fact, anything to do with history), reading, the theatre (musical and dramatic), good music of all types and most sport, although not participating much these days. Most importantly he loves being a grandpa. He keeps his hand in with a bit of figures work and is Treasurer of All Saints’ Church, Normanton. As mentioned, he is married to Judith, who is a retired Primary Headteacher. They have two daughters, Emma and Leah, who are both teachers, and four wonderful grandchildren, Ivy, Jonas, Amos and Eva.