Nigel Bardsley began his violin studies with Jacob and Mark Lakirovich in Brisbane. Nigel graduated from the Stoliarsky School of Music in 1991 with a program that included concertos by Vieuxtemps and Sibelius, and concertante works by Saint-Saëns and Tchaikovsky. After graduation Nigel studied with Harry Curby and David Matthews at the University of Queensland and performed in master classes with renowned pedagogues including Dorothy Delay, Felix Andreivsky, Nelli Scholnikova, Rudolph Baumgartner, Olga Zolotarev and Wolfgang Marschner.

Nigel was a founding member of the Stoliarsky String Quartet (1988-1996), Ensemble 440, and the Moreton Trio (formed in 2001). He has performed with local orchestras including Camerata Australia, Chamber Ensemble Queensland, the Queensland Pops Orchestra and the Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra.

Nigel taught violin and viola, ensemble studies, and the theory and history of music at the Stoliarsky School for thirteen years until 2003 before moving to the Gold Coast to become Head Tutor of Strings at All Saints Anglican School.