Hiu-yin Derek Chan was born in Shanghai, China. At the tender age of five, Derek began learning the violin from his father Ping-wing Chan, since then he studied with Russell Kan Wang-to, Ding Zhi-nuo, Shen Rong and Wong Wai-ming and Benedict Cruft. For the past 20 years, he acquired his expertise from performing, teaching and conducting in various schools and music institutes in Hong Kong.

Derek graduated from the University of Auckland’s School of Music, then went on to study violin performance as a visiting student at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. His teaching methodology is influenced by his mentors, Professor Ding Zhi-nuo of Shanghai Conservatory, who inspired him to build a solid foundation of techniques for his students. Mr Benedict Cruft, the Dean of the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, taught him baroque violin playing that subsequently became his artistry of early music performance practice.