Biography
An all-encompassing musician, Dr. Dereck Scott brings high-quality, energetic, and passionate music to the Northern Virginia region either behind the trumpet, the baton, or through composition and arranging.
Dereck is originally from the Pittsburgh region of Pennsylvania. Growing up, he was a member of the Three River's Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, The River City Youth Brass Band, and numerous other ensembles. Dereck is a graduate of Duquesne University, where he studied trumpet with Roger Sherman and conducting with Dr. Robert Cameron. Dereck did his Master's and Doctoral work at West Virginia University, where he studied conducting with Don Wilcox, Lawrence Christiansen, Kathleen Shannon, David Tang, and Dr. Mitchell Arnold, and studied composition and arranging with Dr. John Beall.
As a performer, Dereck has performed with many organizations both in the Pittsburgh region and Northern Virginia. Dereck was a regular musician with the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and has also performed with the Maryland Symphony, the McKeesport Symphony, and the Three Rivers Orchestra. More recently, Dereck has played with the Washington Metropolitan Orchestra and was Principal Cornet and Soloist with the Rockville Brass Band from 2017-2022.
Currently, Dereck's passions lie behind the baton and the pen. Dereck is currently the Music Director and Conductor of The Cathedral Brass and the Cherry Blossom Brass Band. Under his direction, the Cathedral Brass has performed at numerous events, including the National Community Band Festival, the Gettysburg Brass Band Festival, and the Festival of Lights at the Washington DC Temple (LDS). As Music Director of the Cherry Blossom Brass Band, in tandem with the immense musicianship in the ensemble, he has led the ensemble through a tremendous inaugural year featuring a 2nd place finish in the 3rd section of the North American Brass Band Association Championships. Most recently, Dereck was named the Music Director and Conductor of the City of Fairfax Band, and he will begin his tenure in the Fall of 2024.
As an arranger and composer, Dereck has more than fifty arrangements to his name. Writing for any ensemble size or combination of instruments, Dereck's music has been performed by both student, adult, and semi-professional ensembles. Dereck's arrangments and compositions have been performed by numerous brass bands in the United States and internationally.
Dereck is the Director of Bands at the Flint Hill School in Oakton, Virginia where he teaches band from grades 5 through 12.