MACHAN, DEREK (b. 1974)

Derek E. Machan (born 1974, Waukesha,Wisconsin) pianist, composer and music educator is the son of music educator parents, James and Suzanne Machan. He had a childhood filled with classical and jazz music. Mr. Machan graduated from UW-Eau Claire (Wisconsin) with a Bachelor’s of Music Education in K-12 General Music and 6-12 Choral Music. He earned his Masters in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. He is an in-demand accompanist and adjudicator in Wisconsin and the Midwest. His first professional job playing piano was with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. He is a member of the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association, Music Educators National Conference, the International Association of Jazz Educators, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

 

Derek began his teaching career as a middle school vocal and general music teacher in Southeastern Wisconsin and functioned as an in-demand accompanist and pianist in the greater Metro-Milwaukee area. In 1999, he became a member of the Music Department of Kenosha-Tremper High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Derek Machan has been the Choral Director at Waterford Union High School (Wisconsin) since 2001. He currently teaches four sections of choir, AP-Music Theory and Vocal Jazz. He is also the director of the annual Madrigal Dinner and bi-annual musical. He is past director of the Männer-Gesang-Verein Harmonia of Kenosha, Wisconsin, a German men’s choir.

 

Throughout the years, Mr. Machan has been extensively involved in musicals, in particular with the pit orchestra. He has played piano for many shows, including: West Side Story, Grease, Annie Get Your Gun, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Pajama Game, and Pippin.

 

Machan writes and arranges music for both vocal and instrumental ensembles. His pieces combine traditional librettos and/or lyrics with exciting orchestrations, producing unique harmonies and voice combinations. Most often, he arranges and writes for his choirs.