Nathan Waks

Nathan Waks (born 1951) is an Australian cellist, composer, record producer, arts administrator and wine company owner.

Early years Waks was born in 1951, into a musical family, his mother being a talented pianist. He showed early musical aptitude, on the piano at age four, and the cello at age seven. and then travelled to Moscow (then the Soviet Union) to study with Mstislav Rostropovich. That trip was cut short because of Cold War tensions (there were alleged to be irregularities with Waks's visa).

Music career Having returned to Australia, in 1969, he co-founded the Fidelio Quartet with Brecon Carter and John Harding.

In 1970, at age 19, Waks was appointed Principal Cellist of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the youngest in the orchestra's history. He left the post after a year. He has also given premieres of works by Anne Boyd, Matthew Hindson and Gerald Glynn.

In 1998, Waks was appointed Chairman of the Australia Council's Music Fund.

He has organized concerts for singers such as Frank Sinatra, Rod Stewart and Tiny Tim.

Compositions Nathan Waks has written a number of film scores: My Brilliant Career (1979) Intimate Strangers (1981) Hunger (1986) For Love Alone (1986) Kangaroo (1986; this score was based on the slow movement of Antonín Dvořák's String Quartet No. 12 in F major "American", Op. 96)

He was musical director for The Removalists (1975).

Winery interests In 2000 he became involved in the Kilikanoon Winery in the Clare Valley of South Australia. Since 2007 he has headed a syndicate that owns Kilikanoon, and also Seppeltsfield in the Barossa Valley. Waks travels widely as an international ambassador for the companies.

Family In the 1970s, Waks' partner was the operatic soprano Eilene Hannan. He later married Candice Williams, daughter of film distribution pioneer David Williams AM (1925-2009) and sister of Kim Williams. They have two children.

Discography Albums + List of albums, with selected details Title Details Cello Sonatas (with Phillip Green & Geoffrey Parsons) Released: 1983 Format: LP Label: ABC Transcription Service (AA9090) For Love Alone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Released: 1986 Format: LP Label: WEA (254138-1)

Awards and nominations AACTA Awards 1986 - AACTA Award for Best Original Music Score For Love Alone (nom)

ARIA Music Awards 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. 1987 For Love Alone Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album