|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 26 October 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Rohan Joseph : A world class conductor Rohan Joseph, international-level Sri Lankan orchestral conductor, who
died on October 15 at age 50, was so kind as to respond The first lecture-demonstration was on Chopin and the Mazurka on June 25, 2001. He played ten of the 58 Mazurkas on a piano to illustrate his talk. A newspaper review called it "inspiring". The second lecture-demonstration was on Anton Bruckner: an overview of his life and symphonies on August 25, 2002. Rohan Joseph had international standing as a conductor of the works of Bruckner (1824-1896). His debut at the Carnegie Hall, New York, at age 26, was with Bruckner's Third Symphony. Subsequently (in 1980-83) he had conducted all nine Bruckner Symphonies with the American Philharmonic Orchestra. He was due to conduct the whole series once again, this time in England, starting in December 2002. Unfortunately he fell ill. In his lecture-demonstration in Colombo there was a lighted candle in front of him throughout. He played on the piano a transcription of the Bruckner Te Deum, and he paid particular attention to the Seventh Symphony. The end of the Adagio movement of this Symphony is a lamentation for Wagner, news of whose death had just reached Bruckner. At Rohan Joseph's cremation on the 19th this music was played in tender memory of him. Rohan Joseph's final appearance with us was on March 14, this year. Although he was ill with the cancer which eventually killed him he volunteered to play at a concert at the Pelahela Cultural Centre (near Dompe). In discussions which followed this event he pointed out to us that such events fail to achieve our objective of enhancing the appreciation of western music in rural communities. It was a useful lesson which made us re-consider our strategy to achieve such an objective. With his death we have lost a man who had the potential to give so much more to Sri Lanka - and to the world! - Valentine Basnayake, Chairman, Western Music Panel, The Arts Council of Sri Lanka |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
positively when we
invited him to participate in activities of the Arts Council's Western
Music Panel. His participation was memorable. He gave two
lecture-demonstrations and joined us in a musical visit to a Cultural
Centre.
