Derek Dreier

Derek Dreier is a highly committed percussionist, currently serving as Assistant Principal Percussion of the Omaha Symphony since 2017. In 2023, Derek stepped into the role of Acting Principal Percussion, a period that also saw the symphony earn its first Grammy nomination. Derek’s performance experience spans other orchestras, including Kansas City, Grand Rapids, and Des Moines.

An advocate for musical interconnectedness, Derek embraces a diverse range of musical traditions, with particular emphasis on West African, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, jazz, and classical music.

Derek has participated in music festivals, including the Castleton Music Festival with Director Lorin Maazel and the Indiana University Summer Music Festival. Additionally, he has traveled extensively, studying music in Berlin, Amsterdam and Havana, further enriching his understanding of global musical traditions.

Derek's teachers include influential figures such as James Dreier, Dane Richeson, John Tafoya, Michael Spiro, and Will Hudgins.

Derek can be heard on albums with the Omaha Symphony, including the Grammy-nominated Sculptures, OMAGAH! Guster with the Omaha Symphony, and Beethoven 9. He also performed on The Jana Nyberg Group’s Fever and Witnesses by the Lawrence University Jazz Ensemble, which won a Downbeat Award for Outstanding Performance.

In addition to performing, Derek is an educator, teaching at Creighton University and the Omaha Conservatory.

Beyond music, Derek is a dedicated athlete, having completed five marathons, including Boston and Chicago. He maintains a single-digit USGA handicap and, having grown up in Iowa City, is a passionate supporter of the Iowa Hawkeyes.