Nick Wales
Artist
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Bio
Nick Wales is an Australian electronic-classical composer, producer, and performer whose music bridges the worlds of dance, film, theatre, visual art, and contemporary performance. A leading figure in cross-disciplinary Australian composition, his work is characterized by immersive textures, emotional contrasts, and a fusion of orchestral instrumentation with electronic sound design. Born and based in Sydney, Wales studied composition at the University of Sydney under Peter Sculthorpe, Ross Edwards, and Anne Boyd, earning First Class Honours, and later completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Screen Composition at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS). He is a long-time collaborator with Sydney Dance Company, particularly choreographer Rafael Bonachela, scoring major works such as Lux Tenebris, 2 One Another, Emergence, and Ocho. His compositions for Shaun Parker & Company — including AM I (Helpmann-nominated), The Yard, and Happy as Larry — further solidified his reputation as a leading voice in contemporary dance music. Wales’s multidisciplinary reach extends into film and screen, with original scores for productions including True Spirit (Netflix, 2023), Around the Block (2013), and Step Into Paradise (2021, co-composed with Amanda Brown), earning AACTA Award nominations. He has also composed for television and podcasts, such as The Greatest Menace (Audible) and Hannah Gadsby’s Nakedy Nudes (ABC). Beyond performance and film, Wales has composed installations and visual art works, collaborating with artists such as Mel O’Callaghan, Lauren Brincat, and Justin Shoulder. His 2020 work Nyapillilngu (Spirit Lady) — created with Aboriginal songman Rrawun Maymuru — won the National Indigenous Music Award for Indigenous Language. As a founding member of the ARIA-nominated band CODA, Wales helped pioneer a blend of electronic, world, and chamber sounds, releasing albums such as There Is a Way to Fly and Calling Mission Mu. He has arranged and co-written for acclaimed singer-songwriter Sarah Blasko, contributing orchestral and electronic arrangements to I Awake, Eternal Return, and Depth of Field. Wales’s recent projects include Cathedral from a Deep Valley for Bundanon Trust, and an upcoming collaboration with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. His work continues to explore the space between electronic innovation and human emotion, establishing him as a vital creative force in Australian contemporary music.
Music style
Neoclassical, Contemporary Classical
Popular Songs
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