Geoff Westley was awarded a Scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London,
Where he studied Flute, Piano and Composition.
At age 23 he was already conducting musicals in the West End of London,
including Jesus Christ Superstar.
In the same year he was invited to join the Bee Gees
And was for 7 years their Musical Director on all their world tours,
performing in prestigious locations such as,
Madison Square Garden, Budokan Tokyo, Maple Leaf Stadium Toronto,
Central Park New York, and Sydney Opera House.
As keyboard player/arranger he has worked with many international artists, including
Carpenters / Peter Gabriel / Phil Collins
Leo Sayer / Andrew Lloyd-Webber / Everly Bros / Vangelis / Gerry Goldsmith
Hans Zimmer / Marvin Hamlish / Henry Mancini ......
At the age of 30, he began a long and successful collaboration
with a number of Italian artists, that continues to this day.
He was producer/arranger on:
LUCIO BATTISTI - “Una Donna per Amico” / “Una Giornata Uggiosa”
CLAUDIO BAGLIONI - “Strada Facendo” / “Avrai”
RENATO ZERO - “Voyeur” / “Cattura” / “Spalle al Muro” (Vecchio)
RICCARDO COCCIANTE - “La Grande Avventura”
FABRIZIO de ANDRÉ - "Sogno Nº1"
MANGO - “Sirtaki”
LAURA PAUSINI, SAFINA, ANNA OXA, EROS RAMAZZOTTI, FABIO CONCATO,
LUCIO DALLA, FIORELLA MANNOIA …. and many others.
For the Latin-American market he has produced/arranged for:
VICTOR MANUEL, ANA BELEN, PABLO MILANES, FITO PAEZ, CHICO BUARQUE,
CHAVELA VARGAS, ANTONIO BANDERAS
In 2008 he won the Critics’Prize at the Sanremo Festival
for his group FRANK HEAD with the song "ParaPara’ PaRaRa"
He has worked on 2 James Bond films:
As keyboard player and conductor on the soundtrack of
“The Spy Who Loved Me” .....
And was the hot-air balloon pilot in “Octopussy”
As arranger and Conductor he has worked with:
London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,
Philharmonia, Pro Arte, London Chamber Orchestra
Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Parma, Orchestra del Teatro Bellini di Catania,
Roma Sinfonietta, Brno Philharmonic, Budapest Symphony Orchestra,
Orchestra laVerdi di Milano ....
And many other marvellous London session orchestras.
He has also written much Contemporary Classical music:
Travels in the Arctic Circle, a Chamber Opera
Commissioned by the Royal Opera House,
Various Song Cycles and many works for Solo Piano.
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In the last 20 years he has devoted himself mainly
to large-scale orchestral projects
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Sogno Nº1 - with the London Symphony Orchestra,
New orchestral versions of the works of Fabrizio de André,
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London.
For an American Ballet Company, an adaptation of Humperdinck's Opera
Hansel & Gretel as a full-length 2-Act Ballet.
Storia di Una Capinera,
a new Opera in 2 Acts for 8 soloists, chorus and orchestra,
recorded with the Brno Philharmonic in Czechoslovakia, Parma and Rome.
Un Piccolo Natale in Più,
an album of Christmas Music with
Claudio Baglioni and the Budapest Symphony Orchestra
A project based on songs of The Beatles
re-arranged for a simple rhythm section and strings
Recorded with the London Chamber Orchestra, led by Vasko Vassilev
A project for Tenor, Violin and Orchestra. Re-workings of well-know pieces by Rachmaninov, Poulenc, Tchaikowsky, Kreisler, Schumann, Saint-Saens
…… as duets for Tenor, Solo Violin and Orchestra.
New orchestral versions of songs, originally written for Voice & Piano
by Grieg (Op.48), Sibelius (Op.37) & Nielsen (Op.6 & 10)
Created for, and recorded with the Soprano
Janice Watson and the Budapest Symphony Orchestra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3ovkL1aU4Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzaSAkQozts
A new orchestral realisation of the Opera, MARIA di BUENOS AIRES
by Astor Piazzolla & Horacio Ferrer.
Created, arranged and conducted a medley for Eros Ramazzotti -
Special Guest at Festival di Sanremo 2016
https://vimeo.com/354735810/d90ce6c1b4
Geoff was invited by Claudio Baglioni to be Musical Director
For the Festival di Sanremo 2018 e 2019
In which he arranged and conducted for guests including
James Taylor, Sting, Andrea Bocelli
…… and many Italian artists including:
Laura Pausini, Andrea Bocelli, Eros Ramazzotti,
Il Volo, Antonello Venditi, Riccardo Cocciante, Gianni Morandi,
Biagio Antonacci, Ligabue, Gianna Nannini, Elisa, Giorgia,
Nek, Renga, Pezzali, Mengoni
He also composed the Signature tune - Sanremo 2018/19
https://vimeo.com/354688944/4d86886987
"Sogno Nº1 ed Oltre”
A live concert version of the album Sogno Nº1, performed with
full Symphony Orchestra, Choir, and the voices of Peppe Servillo e Pilar.
Most recently at Teatro Giuseppe Verdi, Salerno. December 2021
A Music Theatre project based on "Favole al Telefono" by Gianni Rodari,
Original music by Geoff Westley - Narration by Peppe Servillo.
toured Theatres and Piazze in Italy throughout summer 2021
May 2019 saw the release of the album
GEOFF WESTLEY - Piano Solo
"DOES WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN"
A project of original compositions for solo piano,
born out of a series of improvisations.
A 2nd album of compositions for Solo Piano
THE MELLOW ALBUM
Was published in September 2021
…….. and the music from both albums
is performed by Geoff regularly in concert.
When not making music, Geoff sails, and walks dogs in Sussex and the Pyrenees.
He has flown Hot-Air Balloons competitively for Great Britain
in World and European Championships.
He speaks fluent Italian, reasonable French, adequate Spanish …..
and very rusty German!
YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9kkB6SUGw6636bGQr9AXkQ
Website