[2] After high school, DeRose was offered a scholarship to Concordia College but chose to attend Binghamton University instead.

[1] At age 18, DeRose joined a popular local top forty band playing electric piano and synthesizer.

[3] She released her debut album Introducing Dena DeRose on Amosaya Records in 1995 and a year later renegotiated with the Sharp Nine label.

[5] Tracks included standards "Spring Is Here" and "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning", and "Don't Go", which was composed by DeRose.

It included versions of Duke Ellington's "The Lonely Ones", John Lennon's "Imagine" and Cole Porter's "I Concentrate on You".

[6] She has worked with Gene Bertoncini, Ray Brown, Jay Clayton, John Clayton, Bruce Forman, Benny Golson, Wycliffe Gordon, Jeff Hamilton, Billy Hart, Bill Henderson, Mark Murphy, Judy Niemack, Ken Peplowski, Houston Person, Alex Riel, Marvin Stamm, Clark Terry, and Steve Turre.