Derek Carden started his musical career as a cathedral chorister (Rochester), then reading music at Nottingham University and the London Opera Centre. He has had a career of conducting, répétiteuring, accompanying, and teaching, specialising in opera and church music. Derek has conducted over fifty operas from the standard repertoire, as well as many rare works. He has appeared throughout the UK, and abroad, recording with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, a series of concerts nationwide with Sir Patrick Moore and several concerts with the Three British Tenors. In 2009 he conducted the inaugural Organ Concert at St Luke’s, featuring Poulenc’s ‘Organ Concerto’ played by Martin Baker, and the London Mozart Players. During the Summers of 2008 and 2012 he has been Musical Director of the Mountain Theatre, in Colorado, USA. In November 2010 he directed the first performance of an opera written especially for children ‘Hello Mr Darwin!’ composed by Paul Barker. More recently, Derek has conducted performances of ‘Dido & Aeneas’, ‘Cox & Box’ and ‘Die Fledermaus’ among others. Future plans include ‘Madame Butterfly’ and ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’ (May and Dec. 2013, respectively). Derek has been the Principal Conductor of the Hastings Sinfonia since 2013.