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Nigel Westlake

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Nigel Westlake
Born (1958-09-06) 6 September 1958 (age 66)[1]
Perth, Western Australia
Genres
Occupations
  • Composer
  • Conductor
Years active1978–present

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.

Biography

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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]

Personal life

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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]

Filmography

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Awards and nominations

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  • In 1985: Westlake won Jazz Action Society Composition Competition.
  • In 1988: Westlake won Gold Medal at the New York International Radio Festival.
  • In 2004, Westlake was awarded the HC Coombs Creative Arts Fellowship at the Australian National University.[1]
  • In 2012, Westlake received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the University of New South Wales.[2]

Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards

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  • 2015 - AACTA Award Best Original Music Score - Paper Planes - nominated
  • 2017 - AACTA Award Best Original Score - Ali's Wedding - nominated

AIR Awards

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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 Nominated [6][7]

APRA Awards

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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]

ARIA Music Awards

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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]

Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards

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  • 2018 - Best Original Music - Ali's Wedding - Nominee
  • 2016 - Best Music - Paper Planes - Nominee
  • 1997 - Best Original Music - Babe - Won

International Film Music Critics Award (IFMCA)

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  • 2007 - Best Original Score for a Comedy Film - Miss Potter

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Nigel Westlake". Classical Music Daily. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Nigel Westlake : Represented Artist". Australian Music Centre. 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Smugglers of Light - Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Music and Media Award". APRA AMCOS. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  4. ^ Mitternacht, Manuel; Kidman, John (7 June 2008). "Footpath fracas ends in tragedy". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  5. ^ "Composer Nigel Westlake's requiem for murdered son". The Australian. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  6. ^ "Nominees Announced for the Australian Independent Music Awards 2023". Music Feeds. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  7. ^ "King Stingray and Genesis Owusu Win Big at 2023 AIR Awards". Music Feeds. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  8. ^ "Winners Prior to 2002". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Archived from the original on 14 April 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Nominations – 1998". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Archived from the original on 8 March 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  10. ^ "1998 Winners - APRA Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  11. ^ a b "2003 Winners - Screen Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  12. ^ a b "2003 Nominations - Screen Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  13. ^ a b "2005 Finalists - Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  14. ^ "2005 Winners - Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  15. ^ "2005 Winners - Screen Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  16. ^ "2007 Winners - Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  17. ^ a b c "2007 Winners - Screen Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  18. ^ "2008 Winners - Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  19. ^ "2008 Finalists - Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  20. ^ "2012 Work of the Year – Orchestral". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australian Music Centre (AMC). Archived from the original on 14 May 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  21. ^ "2012 Performance of the Year". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australian Music Centre (AMC). Archived from the original on 14 May 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  22. ^ "Work of the Year – Orchestral". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) | Australian Music Centre (AMC). 2014. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  23. ^ a b c d e ARIA Award previous winners. "History Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  24. ^ This nomination is not listed on the ARIA Award's website, but is in ARIA's March 1993 media release and list of nominees.
  25. ^ a b ARIA Award previous winners. "ARIA Awards – Winners by Award". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  26. ^ "Nominees Announced for 2023 ARIA Awards". Music Feeds. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.

Further reading

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Wikiquote has quotations related to Nigel Westlake.
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