Over the years I have been involved in a number of recordings featuring the music of the incredible Australian composer, Nigel Westlake. Nigel has recently made some Youtube videos visualising the scores of 3 marimba pieces that I was involved in: Omphalo Centric Lecture (multitrack version), Fabian Theory (solo with digital delay) and Kalabash (with Synergy Percussion feat. Philip South, Alison Pratt, Timothy Constable and myself). Visit Nigel’s website for scores, Youtube videos and the latest updates: .au
FIRE was composed for the Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony. Since then my dear friend Tim White OAM has championed this 3 minute piece and directed it many times. I joined Tim and Defying Gravity to perform FIRE at the inaugural concert of the McCusker Recital Hall at the amazing new West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (March 13&14, 2026)!@waapaclassicalmusic@defying.gravity.percussion@edithcowanuniversity Thank you for the wonderful concert photos @stephenheathphotography
🥁 🎶 A milestone moment for WAAPA at ECU City 🎶 🪘
Last night marked the first full‑length concert in the McCusker Recital Hall, inside the stunning Minderoo Centre for Performance Excellence at ECU City — and what a debut. ✨
Every performer brought something extraordinary to the stage. A huge congratulations to Defying Gravity, starring Michael Askill and Pavan Kumar Hari, with special guest artists Michael Askill, Pavan Kumar Hari and Eshaa Dalal.
With outstanding performances from our musicians, dancers and guest performers — all under the direction of Musical Director Tim White OAM — this was a powerful first chapter for live performance in this remarkable new space.
👏 Bravo to everyone involved. This is just the beginning.
📸 by @stephenheathphotography
#WAAPA #ECUCity #McCuskerRecitalHall #MinderooCentre #percussionensemble
Preparing for the first ever public performances in the amazing new West Australian Academy of Performing Arts featuring some of my works for percussion ensemble. Performed by Defying Gravity directed by Tim White OAM
A few times each year I get a call from Munich from @yvespeitzner Over the years we have worked together on many projects. I am so lucky to work with this amazing artist - check his work here:
We are excited to share a very special project, so much time in the making.
Turn phone horizontal to watch film.
Introducing SEADRAGON CONSERVATION FILM PART 1 – PHYLLOPTERYX TAENIOLATUS: THE WEEDY SEADRAGON
A film by Alice Wesley-Smith, in collaboration with SEADRAGON CONSERVATION, capturing the Weedy Seadragon in its natural habitat and set to music by master percussionist and composer, Dr. Michael Askill.
The Weedy was filmed off the coast of Sydney, Australia — ten to twelve metres under the water’s surface — revealing this creature’s hidden world and the inherent uniqueness of the species.
An icon of the southern ocean, the Weedy Seadragon, a delicate, otherworldly creature found only in Australian waters, was recently reclassified from Least Concern to Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and scientists fear this species is close to becoming endangered.
Watch the film to learn more about this species and the threats it faces.
Thank you to all that made this possible @alicewesleysmith@michaelaskill@andrewtrevorjones@nathan.aquilina@javas_crypt@oliviaodile@collider__@david.booth.18400@giglia.beretta@sapphireaustralia@robyncatinella
Link in bio to learn more about the Weedy Seadragon and conservation efforts to protect it.
#weedyseadragon #seadragonconservation
