Career
Derek"s compositions increasingly pair electroacoustic elements, many derived from environmental sounds, with acoustic instruments. Ecological sound as an artistic statement on environmental issues has become an impetus for many works, and his interest in the Arctic has like-wise played a role in many of his compositions. His music bridges a divide between this play of pure sound, collecting natural and environmental sound, and a continuation of the western "classical" tradition, albeit with contemporary and popular influences.
Derek Charke earned his bachelor"s degree in composition at the University of North Texas, a master"s degree in composition from the Royal Academy of Music, a master"s degree in flute and a doctorate degree in composition from the University at Buffalo.
While at Buffalo he studied composition with David Felder and flute with Cheryl Gobbetti Hoffman. He has been commissioned by ensembles such as the Kronos Quartet, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and the Saint Lawrence String Quartet.
