|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 6 June 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Magazine |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Creating magic with music by Lakmal Welabada
Damitha was barely four when he began playing the piano. There was no formal lessons, just the familiarity watching his mother create magic with the keyboards of the family piano. However his musical career in school began with the humble melodic, when he joined the Lower School Band at S. Thomas' College, when in year 2. His father who recognised his passion for music bought him an organ when he was in the Middle School, and as the cliche goes, Damitha hasn't looked back since. Today Damitha plays the clarinet in the School and National Youth Orchestras, and has been playing the saxophone in the school western band since Year 8. Mrs. Dilani Perera, Ajith Abeysekara, Manilal Perera, Dayananda Fernando and Wilhelm Turin are the music teachers Damitha remembers with gratitude for giving him formal guidance in learning music lines. "My special thank should go to Mr. Vinodh Senadeera, our English Literature master who has been encouraging us to develop our talents by giving us the chance to take part in his musicals and plays," he says. The saxophone which Damitha plays for the `Piano and drums' a fusion of music and poetry reading on June 10, 11 and 12 presented by S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia (a production of Vinodh Senadeera, Head of the English Department and Director of the drama society of the school) is going to be something unique and unforgettable. "No one taught me how to play the saxophone. I got the music from my instructors and developed the technique on my own," he said. Though he has mastered the theoretical know-how and playing various instruments Damitha loves to play music by ear, and believes there's a big difference between formal technical-learning and ear-learning. "Music is something that comes from your heart," he admits. Though musically inclined, Damitha's grand ambition is to become a pilot, and to this end he works hard to maintain his grades. Swimming and water polo are his extra curricular passions, and he won the Nationals for 'Under 16' in rowing last year. Being the middle member of the family with an elder sister and a younger brother, Damitha grew up in a friendly and buoyant family background which helped him to excel in everything he did. "Ours is another music loving family. My sister plays piano and my brother plays the viola," he says. His other main aim is the O/L exam which he will be sitting for at the end of this year. Early morning is his studying time. He tries to stick to a timetable, but practises a flexible lifestyle. "My parents are very understanding and corporative. They never push me for anything. That helps me a lot as I do my studies with lot of other extra activities," he smiles. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
Mastering the Saxophone was never a problem for Damitha Peiris, who
despite his very impressionable 15-years, is a versatile musician equally
comfortable playing the piano, guitar, base guitar, clarinet, organ and
flute.
