Nigel Westlake (born 6 September 1958) is an Australian composer, musician and conductor. As a composer for the screen, his film credits include the feature films Ali's Wedding, Paper Planes, Miss Potter, Babe, Babe: Pig in the City, Children of the Revolution and The Nugget. He also composed the theme for SBS World News.
Nigel Westlake | |
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Born | [1] Perth, Western Australia | 6 September 1958
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Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 1978–present |
Westlake was born in Sydney, the son of Sydney Symphony Orchestra principal clarinettist Donald Westlake.[1]
Westlake studied the clarinet with his father and subsequently left school early to pursue a performance career in music.[1]
By the age of 17, Westlake was touring Australia and the world, performing as a freelance clarinetist, bass clarinetist and saxophonist with ballet companies, a circus troupe, chamber music ensembles, fusion bands and orchestras.[2]
In 1983, Westlake studied bass clarinet and composition in the Netherlands[1] and was appointed composer in residence for ABC Radio National in 1984.[1]
From 1987 to 1992 Westlake was resident clarinettist with The Australia Ensemble, and went on to join guitarist John Williams' group Attacca.[1]
In 2008, Westlake founded the Smugglers of Light Foundation in memory of his son Eli, to promote cultural awareness and empowerment through music and film in youth and Indigenous Australian communities.[3]
Westlake is married to Jan Loquet Westlake, and together, they had two sons. Their son Eli was killed in a road rage incident on 7 June 2008, at age 21.[4] Westlake composed Missa Solis - Requiem for Eli and dedicated it to Eli. It was premiered by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at the Myer Music Bowl in February 2011.[5]
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Blueback (Original Motion Picture Score) (with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Benjamin Northey) |
Best Independent Classical Album or EP | Pending | [6][7] |
The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | "Refractions at Summer Cloud Bay" | Contemporary Classical Composition of the Year | Won | |
1996 | Babe | Best Film Score | Won | [8] |
1998 | The Edge | Most Performed Classical Work | Won | [9][10] |
Songs from the Forest | Nominated | [9] | ||
1999 | Babe: Pig in the City | Best Film Score | Nominated | |
"Laikan" (Australia Ensemble) | Most Performed Contemporary Classical Composition | Won | ||
2003 | Horse Play | Best Feature Film Score | Nominated | [11][12] |
The Nugget | Won | [11][12] | ||
2005 | Piano Concerto – Michael Kieran Harvey | Best Performance of an Australian Composition | Nominated | [13] |
Six Fish – Saffire Guitar Quartet | Instrumental Work of the Year | Won | [14] | |
Crystal Spheres – Solarmax film orchestra | Orchestral Work of the Year | Nominated | [13] | |
Hell Has Harbour Views | Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie | Won | [15] | |
2007 | When the Clock Strikes Me - Rebecca Lagos (soloist), Sydney Symphony | Best Performance of an Australian Composition | Won | [16] |
Miss Potter | Feature Film Score of the Year | Won | [17] | |
Best Soundtrack Album | Won | [17] | ||
Stepfather of the Bride | Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie | Won | [17] | |
2008 | Rare Sugar - The Australia Ensemble and Catherine McCorkill (clarinetist) | Best Performance of an Australian Composition | Won | [18] |
Glass Soldier Suite – Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Geoffrey Payne (cornet), Jean-Louis Forestier (conductor) | Orchestral Work of the Year | Nominated | [19] | |
2012 | Missa Solis – Requiem for Eli (with Sydney Symphony Orchestra) | Work of the Year – Orchestral | Won | [20] |
Performance of the Year | Nominated | [21] | ||
2014 | Compassion (with Lior & Sydney Symphony Orchestra) | Work of the Year – Orchestral | Nominated | [22] |
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | Road to Xanadu - The Genius That Was China (with Michael Askill) |
Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album | Nominated | [23] |
1993 | Antarctica | Nominated | [23][24] | |
1996 | Babe | Nominated | [23] | |
2013 | Missa Solis: Requiem for Eli (with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) |
Best Classical Album | Nominated | [25] |
2014 | Compassion (with Lior and Sydney Symphony Orchestra) | Won | ||
2015 | Paper Planes – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) |
Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album | Nominated | [23] |
2017 | Ali's Wedding (soundtrack) (with Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Lior, Joseph Tawadros & Slava Grigoryan) |
Won | [23] | |
2019 | Nigel Westlake: Spirit of the Wild / Steve Reich: The Desert Music (with Diana Doherty, Sydney Symphony Orchestra & David Robertson, Synergy Vocals) |
Best Classical Album | Nominated | [25] |
2023 | Blueback – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Benjamin Northey) | Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album | Nominated | [26] |