{{short description|Australian cellist and composer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Nathan Waks''' (born 1951) is an Australian cellist, composer, record producer, arts administrator and wine company owner.
==Early years== Waks was born in 1951,<ref>[http://nathanwaks.wordpress.com/ Nathan Waks blog]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref> into a musical family, his mother being a talented pianist.<ref name=TN>[http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac;jsessionid=179FC61D1C4350DF14A026EB318688B4?page=1&sy=afr&kw=director&pb=none&dt=selectRange&dr=1month&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=150&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=SHD1002211AMKA79121N "Tasting notes", ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 21 December 2010]; Retrieved 22 August 2013,</ref> He showed early musical aptitude, on the piano at age four, and the cello at age seven.<ref name=TN/> He attended North Sydney Boys High School but did not graduate.<ref name=TN/> While there, he showed such talent at soccer that he was offered a scholarship by the visiting Scottish football manager Tommy Docherty, but he declined as he felt that music was his passion.<ref name=TN/>
He studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music under Lois Simpson and Robert Pikler.<ref name=Awards>[http://celloawards.org.au/the-competition/adjudicators/nathan-waks Australian Cello Awards]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref><ref name=GG/> He won the 1968 ABC Instrumental and Vocal Competition,<ref name=GG/><ref>[http://www.sydneysymphony.com/media/81769/PROG24_080627_TandS-SongLife_SSO.pdf Symphony Services International]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref> 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).<ref name=TN/><ref name=Awards/> He then went to Paris to study under Paul Tortelier, and won a Premier Prix at the Conservatoire de Paris.<ref name=TN/><ref name=GG/><ref name=AC>[http://www.dbcde.gov.au/Article/0,,0_4-2_4008-4_13373,00.html Media Release, Senator Richard Alston, 25 November 1998]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref>
==Music career== Having returned to Australia, in 1969, he co-founded the Fidelio Quartet with Brecon Carter and John Harding.<ref name=plesk>[https://books.google.com/books?id=uSR9IDxK0ykC&dq=nathan+waks&pg=PT534 Stephen Pleskun ed., ''A Chronological History of Australian Composers and Their Compositions'' - Vol. 2]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref>
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.<ref name=TN/> He appeared as a soloist with all the Australian symphony orchestras, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and others.<ref name=GG/>
In 1974, the Sydney String Quartet was re-formed for the third time, with members Harry Curby, Dorel Tincu, Alexandru Todicescu and Waks. Harry Curby left in 1980, and in 1981 after the sudden death of Dorel Tincu, the Quartet continued with John Harding, Laszlo Kiss, Todicescu and Waks.<ref name=plesk/> Waks remained with the Sydney String Quartet for ten years.<ref name=GG/>
In 1979, he commissioned and premiered ''Requiem'' for solo cello by Peter Sculthorpe.<ref name=plesk/><ref name=AMC>[http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/artist/waks-nathan Australian Music Centre]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref> He has also given premieres of works by Anne Boyd, Matthew Hindson<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/classic/content/2013/01/10/3667031.htm ABC Classic FM]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref> and Gerald Glynn.<ref name=AMC/>
For the broadcaster Andrew Olle's memorial service in the Sydney Town Hall on 22 December 1995, Peter Sculthorpe wrote a special arrangement for cello and piano of his 1947 work ''Parting'', dedicated to Olle, which was played by Nathan Waks and pianist Kathryn Selby.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/workversion/sculthorpe-peter-parting/10444|title=Parting : for cello and piano by Peter Sculthorpe|publisher=Australian Music Centre|access-date=19 November 2023}}</ref>
In 1998, Waks was appointed Chairman of the Australia Council's Music Fund.<ref name=TN/><ref name=AC/> The same year, he reduced his administrative commitments and returned to the Sydney Symphony as Co-Principal Cello.<ref name=GG/>
In 2008, he participated in the Australian premiere of Gianluigi Gelmetti's ''Cantata della vita'', with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and various solo artists, under the composer's baton.<ref name=GG>[http://www.sydneysymphony.com/media/81769/PROG24_080627_TandS-SongLife_SSO.pdf Sydney Symphony]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref>
He has organized concerts for singers such as Frank Sinatra, Rod Stewart and Tiny Tim.<ref name=Awards/><ref name=GG/> He has also produced recordings for the Australian guitarist John Williams.<ref name=TN/>
He is a founding Director and Artistic Adviser of the Australian Chamber Orchestra,<ref name=TN/><ref name=AC/> founding Director of the Australian Music Centre;<ref name=AC/> has been Director of Music at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation,<ref name=TN/><ref name=AC/> Managing Director of Symphony Australia,<ref name=TN/><ref name=GG/><ref name=AC/> and Board Member of the Australian National Academy of Music.<ref name=TN/><ref name=AC/>
He is an Ambassador of the Melba Foundation.<ref>[https://melbarecordings.com.au/sites/default/files/melba_docs/PDF_FILES/Melba%20Foundation%20Annual%20Report%202010%20-%202011.pdf Melba Foundation]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref>
==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)<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ECsubemMGekC&dq=nathan+waks&pg=PA202 Louis K Greiff, ''D. H. Lawrence, Fifty Years on Film'', p. 202]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref>
He was musical director for ''The Removalists'' (1975).<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0906879/ IMDb]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref>
==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.<ref name=TN/><ref>[http://chrisshanahan.com/articles/2007/cellist-nathan-waks-leads-seppeltsfield-buyout-investors/ Chris Shanahan]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref><ref>[http://www.glug.com.au/index_industry.php?sec=industry&art=07024 Glug]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref>
==Family== In the 1970s, Waks' partner was the operatic soprano Eilene Hannan.<ref name=marr>David Marr, "Soprano loved for ruthless wit and 'God-given' voice". [http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/soprano-loved-for-ruthless-wit-and-god-given-voice-20140725-zwot4.html ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 26 July 2014]. Retrieved 15 October 2014</ref> He later married Candice Williams, daughter of film distribution pioneer David Williams AM (1925-2009) and sister of Kim Williams.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/a-passionate-supporter-of-the-film-industry-20090514-b4mq.html "A passionate supporter of the film industry", ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 15 May 2009]; Retrieved 22 August 2013</ref> They have two children.
==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" |+ List of albums, with selected details ! Title ! Details |- ! scope="row" | ''Cello Sonatas'' <br> (with Phillip Green & Geoffrey Parsons) | * Released: 1983 * Format: LP * Label: ABC Transcription Service (AA9090) |- ! scope="row" | ''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. {{awards table}} ! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | 1987 | ''For Love Alone'' | Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album | {{nom}} | <ref name="OST">ARIA Award previous winners. {{cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/award/best-original-soundtrack-cast-show-album|title=History Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)|access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref> |- {{end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Waks, Nathan}} Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:Date of birth missing (living people) Category:Australian classical cellists Category:Australian film score composers Category:Australian male film score composers Category:Australian arts administrators Category:Sydney Conservatorium of Music alumni Category:Australian businesspeople in the food industry Category:People educated at North Sydney Boys High School