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Derek M Broadbent
Derek commenced playing the cornet at the age of 9 with the Thornton Cleveleys Silver Band.
After a services career spanning almost nine years, during which time he studied at Kneller Hall, the Royal
Military School of Music, he returned to civilian life as a professional arranger.
He returned to the world of brass bands as a conductor in 1966 and in 1973 became Resident conductor of the
internationally famous Brighouse and
Rastrick Band.
In his ten years with Brighouse, Derek enjoyed enormous success and in 1980 conduction them to a premier place
in the National Championships. He was also responsible for their chart topping success of "The Floral Dance".
In 1984 he moved to the equally famous Black Dyke Mills Band and
played an integral part in their 1985 "Grand Slam", a year which saw them take every major title in brass band
contesting.
Since 1990 Derek has worked as a freelance conductor, composer, arranger and adjudicator not only in the United
Kingdom but all over the world. He was also Associate Professional Conductor with the
Williams Fairey Band who also won every major title in the years
1993/1994.
His association with the Manx Youth Band commenced in 1984 and has been relatively unbroken ever since. He
conducted the band on their successful tour of New Zealand's North Island in 1990 as Ian
Clague was unavailable owing to the illness of his father.
Apart from composing the Youth Band's signature March, Derek has also produced two major works commissioned by
the Douglas Corporation "Music for a Centenary" for the 1996
Centenary of the Corporation and "Millennium Fanfare and Variations" premiered in 1999, both these works being
for Band and Choir.
Derek now spends much of his time training bands all over the globe. Much of his time is devoted to the youth
of the brass band movement.
He is also the Music Editor for Wright and Round Ltd. and in 1988 was awarded the prestigious Isle's Medal
from the Worshipful Company of Musicians for his services to brass music and youth education.
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