Derek Charke is a JUNO and ECMA award-winning composer and flutist. Derek has a growing catalogue of high-profile commissions and performances, including several by Canada’s major symphony orchestras, as well as an impressive list of other performers and organizations. Derek is currently a professor of composition at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, he is co-director of the Acadia New Music Society, and he continues to actively perform as a soloist and new music improviser on the flute. Equally at home performing cutting-edge contemporary music or participating in free improvisation as he is performing Bach or Vivaldi, Derek received a Masters degree in flute performance from SUNY Buffalo where he studied with the late Cheryl Gobbetti Hoffman. Derek has performed as a soloist with the Slee Sinfonietta (Buffalo, NY) and GroundSwell (Winnipeg, MB), amongst others. He currently performs in the Charke-Cormier Duo. He is also a member of the resident Acadia New Music Ensemble WIRED! which released its first album Live Wired! in 2015. His Kitchen Party CD with percussionist Mark Adam won the 2015 East Coast Music Award for Classical Recording of the Year. For more information visit: www.charke.com