Derek Williams : Member Profile : Music Arrangers' Guild of Australia

Score: How Lucky Can You Get?
© F. Ebb & J. Kander

Audio: 'Waterfall' from feature film Frauds (1993) starring Phil Collins & Hugo Weaving
© Guy Gross

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During my career as a musician, I have performed in live theatre including over 400 performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber's show Cats, and have worked as an orchestrator, conductor, musical director and record producer for Australian and international clients that include Caroline O'Connor, Frank Bennett, Sir Robert Helpmann, Sir Howard Morrison, Eaton Magoon Jr.  I have had my arrangements, compositions and orchestrations performed at the Sydney Opera House, The Royal Albert Hall (London), as well as in many television documentaries, mini series and feature films, which include the Oscar winning Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Aria award nominee album Cash Landing for EMI Music and the multi-Platinum award winning Australian Broadcasting Corporation album Come In Spinner.  In the process of recording many film scores and commercial albums I have conducted studio orchestras including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for the film Frauds starring Phil Collins.

I currently reside in Edinburgh, Scotland where I am in the final year of my PhD in Composition as well as teaching at the University of Edinburgh.  During my stint in Edinburgh, I have continued to be active as a performing musician, arranger and musical director and conductor for various organisations, including the Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group, Frank Holden Big Band, and Edinburgh Grand Opera production of Faust, for which I was répétiteur and offstage chorus conductor.  In 2009 I was appointed Producer and Associate Composer for the Edinburgh University Encounters Project, under a grant from the Roberts Fund. In 2010 I received separate commissions to write quintets, one by the Seiras Quintet of Rome to compose a Piano Quintet for performance at the Sala Accademica di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2011, the other by the Artisan Trio for a Quintet for Piano, Violin, Cello, Clarinet and Horn funded by Edinburgh University Roberts Fund, also for 2011.

For a detailed run down of my credits as composer, performer, arranger and conductor, please consult my personal website www.derekwilliams.net

Filmography also at www.imdb.com/name/nm0930427

and www.youtube.com/user/DerekWilliamsMusic