Derrick Murphy, a music educator with 34 years of teaching experience, currently holds the position of Director of Bands and Fine Arts Chair at Burlington Community High School, where he is in his 27th year. Ensembles under his direction have consistently achieved high levels of success at state festivals.
A native of Iowa, Murphy earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Western Illinois University and later earned master’s degree at the University of Iowa. His academic journey also includes the completion of all coursework for his Doctor of Musical Arts at Boston University, underscoring his commitment to continuous professional development.
Actively contributing to the local music scene, Murphy serves as the principal trumpet for the Southeast Iowa Symphony, Southeast Iowa Band, Southeast Iowa Brass Quintet, Burlington Municipal Band, Herbies Little German Band, and plays 3rd trumpet with the Bullis-Rutter Big Band.
Murphy’s professional affiliations include memberships in the National Association for Music Education, Iowa Band Masters Association, Iowa Music Educators Association, Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association, Jazz Educators of Iowa, and the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education.
While Murphy’s primary focus remains on music education and performance, he enjoys time with his family, especially with his children Zack and Emily.