Derek Newell is a doctoral student at the University of Oregon studying with Steven Pologe. He received his B.M. and M.M. in music performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he studied under Marcy Rosen and Robert Marsh. Currently, Derek is a member of the Eugene Symphony, Eugene Composers Consortium, and the New Frontiers Chamber Orchestra. In addition, Newell has performed with the Winston Salem Symphony Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, and the Western Piedmont Orchestra. He has participated in masterclasses with Ron Leonard, Philip Setzer (Emerson String Quartet), Lawrence Dutton (Emerson String Quartet), and Miriam Freed. In addition to musical life, Derek also has a passion for surfing and snowboarding as well as sport rock climbing.