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EnglishWho Is Nicholas Bardonnay of Westwater Arts?
Updated
Nicholas Bardonnay is a photographer, multimedia artist, and the Creative Director & CEO of Westwater Arts, the company behind "symphonic photochoreography"—live performances that pair panoramic photography with orchestral music. He has led the creative side of the practice since joining Westwater Arts in 2009, and his photography has been exhibited in galleries in London, Los Angeles, Portland, and Hong Kong, among others.
His Role at Westwater Arts
Bardonnay holds two titles at the company: Creative Director and CEO. In practice, that means he sits at the intersection of the artistic and organizational sides of the work—shaping the visual content of each concert piece while also running the company that produces them.
The concert format itself depends on his dual role. Symphonic photochoreography blends evocative panoramic photography with live classical music, and the images are cued live to an orchestra's performance rather than played back on a fixed timeline. That live cueing is part of what distinguishes the format from a simple film-with-orchestra presentation.
Performing Experience
Since joining Westwater Arts in 2009, Bardonnay has worked on more than 140 concerts with orchestras in cities across the United States, as well as in Scotland, England, Singapore, Canada, Poland, and Germany. That touring footprint matters for orchestras considering the program: the production model involves Westwater Arts traveling to the host city, setting up equipment with the local stage crew, and cueing the concert pieces live to that orchestra's performance.
The company reports that its programs have been presented by over 200 orchestras of all sizes, across masterworks, pops, chamber, and festival concerts.
Current Creative Projects
Bardonnay's latest projects as creative lead are four concert pieces, each built around a distinct subject:
| Piece | Subject | Composers featured |
|---|---|---|
| Mágico | Modern Mexico—its diversity, beauty, and warmth | Chávez, Copland, Márquez, Moncayo |
| National Park Suite | America the Beautiful and its National Parks | Beethoven, Copland, Dvořák, Ives, Vaughan Williams |
| Visions | America's First Peoples, through Edward Curtis's sepia-toned images | Barber, Vaughan Williams |
| Mother Road | Route 66 and the spirit of Americana | Tyzik |
Each piece is described as having multiple music options and hundreds of images, which is relevant if an orchestra wants to fit a program to a particular conductor's repertoire preferences rather than accepting a fixed score.
Why His Background Matters to Programmers
For an orchestra or presenter evaluating a Westwater Arts concert, Bardonnay's profile answers a practical question: who is responsible for the visual content and how experienced is that person in live orchestral settings? The gallery exhibition history speaks to the photographic side; the 140-plus concerts across multiple countries speak to the live production side. Both are relevant because the format requires images that hold up on a large screen and a creative director who can adapt them to a specific orchestra's timing and interpretation.
Where to Learn More
The Westwater Arts site includes a full biography for Bardonnay alongside the repertoire of concert pieces. Orchestras interested in programming typically start by browsing the repertoire online, then contact the company to discuss programming ideas, ask questions, request a quote, and reserve dates. Marketing materials and production details follow once a collaboration is confirmed.