Nigel Westlake

Nigel Westlake 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. Westlake was born in Perth, Western Australia, the son of clarinettist Donald Westlake.Westlake studied the clarinet with his father, Donald (principal clarinettist, Sydney Conservatorium of Music 1961-1979) and subsequently left school early to pursue a performance career in music.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.In 1983, Westlake studied bass clarinet and composition in the Netherlands and was appointed composer in residence for ABC Radio National in 1984.From 1987 to 1992 Westlake was resident clarinettist with The Australia Ensemble, and went on to join guitarist John Williams' group Attacca.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.