APRA AMCOS and the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC) will honour composer and conductor Nigel Westlake’s four decade career at the Screen Music Awards next month, presenting him the Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen Award.
Born in Perth, Westlake began touring the world at 17 as a freelance clarinettist, bass clarinettist, and saxophonist with ballet companies, a circus troupe, chamber music ensembles, fusion bands, and orchestras.
In 1984, he was appointed composer in residence for ABC Radio National, and would compose his first film score in 1989 – James Ricketson’s Candy Regentag. His big break in screen would come via 1995’s Babe, with his other film credits including Babe: Big in the City, Ali’s Wedding, Paper Planes, Miss Potter, Children of the Revolution and The Nugget, as well as IMAX films Antarctica, The Edge, Imagine and Solarmax. In television, Westlake’s work spans include documentaries, telemovies, news themes and station idents.
Most recently, Westlake scored Robert Connolly’s Blueback, with the writer, director and producer to present composer with his honour at the Screen Music Awards.
Westlake’s numerous accolades include the Gold Medal at the New York International Radio Festival, 11 APRA Awards, two ARIA Awards and five AGSC Awards. He is a two-time winner of the prestigious Paul Lowin Orchestral prize and in 2013 was awarded an honorary doctorate in music by the University of NSW.
In 2008, Nigel founded the Smugglers of Light Foundation with his family in memory of his son Eli, to promote cultural awareness and empowerment through music and film in Indigenous communities.
“For over three decades I have had the great privilege to be a part of an inspirational community of free-thinking storytellers who share a passion for bringing Australian stories to the screen, ” Westlake said.
“Working in film has enriched my life in so many different ways and I feel blessed to be able to love what I do and to do what I love. I am deeply humbled to be receiving the 2022 Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen Award and I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the APRA board of directors and the AGSC for considering me a worthy recipient.”
APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston described Westlake as a national treasure.
“His evocative scores and compositions fill screens and auditoriums, creating a third dimensional magic and richness all in a uniquely Australian way – he is a master. Nigel’s generosity of spirit is only matched by his humbleness. He is an enthusiastic collaborator, enormous supporter of the screen and broader composing community, and committed to philanthropy through the wonderful work of the Smugglers of Light Foundation,” he said.
“As a previous APRA Board member, and long since, Nigel’s influence and impact reaches far. We are very grateful for Nigel’s many decades of service to music and his contribution to Australia’s fast evolving reputation as a leading music creating nation.”
APRA AMCOS and the AGSC also announced today that actor Aaron Pedersen will join Akina Edmonds and Anne Edmonds as the host of the Screen Music Awards. The event will include feature interpretations of the four scores nominated for Feature Film Score of the Year (Bosch & Rockit, A Stitch in Time, Interceptor and The Drover’s Wife the Legend of Molly Johnson), performed live by the Screen Awards orchestra and led by the event’s musical director Jessica Wells.
The Screen Music Awards will be held at the Forum Melbourne, November 15.