A rare moment in the spotlight for arranger Derek Williams at Copenhagen’s Tivoli.
When Stella Cole paused during her concert at Copenhagen’s Glassalen on April 19, 2026, she shifted attention away from the stage and toward the audience.
“For the next song, we have someone very special in the audience tonight,” she said, before identifying Scottish composer Derek Williams, who had travelled from Edinburgh to hear his arrangements performed live.
“Stella asked me to stand, and when I took a bow, the audience cheered for quite a while,” Williams later recalled.
The moment repeated later that evening during a second sold-out performance. For an arranger, whose work is typically heard but rarely acknowledged in public, it was an unusual form of recognition.
From Earlier Work to a New Commission
Williams’ involvement in the Tivoli concerts began with a request from Danish conductor and producer Mikkel Rønnow, who was preparing a series of performances for Cole at Glassalen.
On Cole’s request, Rønnow sought new orchestrations of two well-known songs: “The Man That Got Away,” composed by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and “Almost Like Being in Love,” written by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner.
Both pieces had previously been arranged by Williams in 2005 for Caroline O’Connor at the Sydney Opera House. For the Tivoli performances, with O’Connor’s agreement, he was asked to revisit and adapt those earlier orchestrations for Cole and a 16-piece orchestra.
Williams agreed and travelled to Denmark for the concerts, marking his first visit to the country.
Concert Reception
Cole performed two concerts at Glassalen on April 19 — an afternoon and an evening show — both of which were sold out, and both of which received standing ovations. She was accompanied by Rønnow’s orchestra.
Reviews from Danish critics were generally positive. Writing for CPHCulture.dk, critic Michael Søby described the orchestra as “extraordinarily well-played” and identified “The Man That Got Away” as one of the highlights. He noted that Cole’s interpretation suggested a developing affinity for jazz.
Reviewer Ivan Rod, writing for ivanrod.dk and Gaffa.dk, awarded the performance four stars and described the program as featuring refreshed arrangements that engaged both performer and audience.
The official concert programme published by Tivoli and Musicals.dk credits Williams as arranger for both “Almost Like Being in Love” and “The Man That Got Away,” and includes the note: “Arrangements by Derek Williams based on his originals for Caroline O’Connor, adapted by permission, with thanks.”
Background and Career
Derek Williams, born in New Zealand and based in Scotland after spending two decades in Australia, holds a doctorate from the University of Edinburgh, where he has taught composition and orchestration since 2007.
His career includes work in film, television, and live performance. Among his credits is orchestration work on The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, as well as arranger and conductor work for films involving Phil Collins and Hugo Weaving (Frauds) and Russell Crowe (The Crossing). He has also worked with Torvill & Dean and with Sir Robert Helpmann of the Royal Ballet.
In 2024, Williams was elected to the board of the Richard Wagner Verband International at Deutsche Oper Berlin and serves as president of the Wagner Society of Scotland.
His role as arranger for the Tivoli concerts is documented in a press release published via The National Law Review (Vol. XVI, No. 104).* This confirms his commission to create new orchestrations.
* See References at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stella_Cole
A Link Across Generations
The Tivoli commission connects two periods of Williams’ career. His original arrangements for O’Connor in 2005 were rooted in repertoire associated with Judy Garland.
More than two decades later, those same arrangements were reworked for Cole, a younger performer whose rapidly expanding international audience includes more than 1.7 million social media followers and tens of millions of video views across digital platforms, and who cites Garland as a major influence. The selected songs reflect that connection and place the performance within a broader musical lineage.
Recognition in Real Time
During both concerts, Cole introduced Williams before performing “The Man That Got Away,” crediting him for the arrangements and inviting him to acknowledge the audience.
He stood, briefly becoming part of the performance itself.
For a role that typically remains out of view, the recognition was notable. In this instance, the arranger’s contribution was not only heard; it was seen.
Derek Williams can be contacted at derek@derekwilliams.net