Babe composer joins ANU

One of Australia’s leading composers, Mr Nigel Westlake, has been awarded the prestigious HC Coombs Creative Arts Fellowship by The Australian National University. He will be based at the ANU School of Music.

Mr Westlake is famous nationally and internationally for his music — in particular his scores for feature films including Babe; Babe - Pig In The City and Children of the Revolution.

The Creative Arts Fellowships were established in 1965 to encourage creative work in the arts in Australia, and they have supported major Australian artists in residence at ANU ever since. 

Renamed the HC Coombs Creative Arts Fellowship in 1996 in honour of former ANU Chancellor Dr H.C. ‘Nugget’ Coombs, the Fellowship embraces opportunities for performing, literary and visual artists on a three-year rotation basis.  The Fellowships are administered by the ANU National Institute of Humanities and Creative Arts.

The Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor Adam Shoemaker, said Mr Westlake’s experience would bring a fresh perspective to the School of Music.

“Nigel Westlake is known around the country for his compositions, particularly for film, and he is a very worthy appointment to the HC Coombs Creative Arts Fellowship.

“His skills in performance and composition would be highly prized in any university in the world and we are privileged to have him join the ANU for this fellowship.”

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