He also served concurrently as the director of the National Exemplary Band of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Derkach was born in the village of Yabluchne [uk], of the Velyka Pysarivka Raion of the Ukrainian SSR.

After studying at the Moscow Conservatory, he immediately rose through the Army's ranks, becoming the conductor of the HQ Band of the Odessa Military District in 1986.

He would serve in Odessa for 6 more years in another position before becoming in 1992, the Deputy Chief of the Military Band Service.

In that same year, he would command the massed bands the during his first major event, the parade for the golden jubilee of the Great Patriotic War held on Maidan Nezalezhnosti and Khreshchatyk.