Derek Bourgeois was born in Kingston on Thames in 1941. He graduated from Cambridge University with a first class honours degree in music, and a subsequent Doctorate. He spent two years at the Royal College of Music where he studied composition with Herbert Howells and conducting with Sir Adrian Boult.
He has composed six symphonies, eight concertos, several other extended orchestra works, five major works for chorus and orchestra and a full length opera. As well as a considerable quantity of chamber, vocal and instrumental music, he has composed nine extended works for Brass Band and two symphonies for Symphonic Wind Orchestra. He has also written a considerable amount of music for television productions.
From 1970 to 1984 he was Lecturer in Music at Bristol University. He was the conductor of the Sun Life Band from 1980 to 1983, and during the same period was Chairman of the Composer's Guild of Great Britain, and a member of the Music Advisory Panel of the Arts Council.
In September 1984 he gave up his university posts to become Musical Director of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. In 1988 he founded the National Youth Chamber Orchestra of Great Britain which held its first course in the Summer of 1989. In 1990 he was appointed Artistic Director of the Philharmonia of Bristol.
He left the National Youth Orchestra in August 1993 to become the Director of Music of St. Paul's Girls' School in London.