Happenings / People

Cricket for a cause

by Mahes Perera

Entertainment reaches a high today when leading stars from the Sri Lankan cinema and the music industry come together to raise funds for the Retired Artistes Pension Scheme which is in dire need of more finance.

To achieve this goal, the ICICI Bank Stars Cricket Carnival will be held today at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium presented by Derana and sponsored by the ICICI Bank.

In today's friendly cricket matches the teams participating will be the Comedians team led by Tennyson Cooray, the Actors team captained by Arjun Kamalanath, Actresses team led by Sumana Amerasinghe, and the Stunt team captained by Teddy Vidyalankara. The Singers team will be led by the popular Saman de Silva and the music backing will be by Marimba.

A special team comprising former Sri Lankan cricketers and led by Arjuna Ranatunga is going to be another attraction and the match will be played under lights.

Besides the cricket action, there will be entertainment acts during breaks - like skits and dance acts. The culmination will be the grand musical show, loaded with a lot of surprises. So be a part of the excitement and the experience.

Speaking at the media briefing held last Monday, Anup Chandrasekeran - CEO Derana said that the TV Channel, ever since the launch, has endeavoured to involve itself in different and innovative programmes.

They acquired the rights for non Sri Lankan cricket matches and very recently had a live telecast from Buddha Gaya during Vesak. The television industry has a definite role to play in the development of the film industry and this event is the first step towards the development.

The who's who of the cinema screen will be in action. The artistes have formed their own teams and the entire event which is a huge task will be televised live on Derana on an international standard with international crew and equipment.

The Chairman of the National Film Corporation Ashoka Serasinghe stressed the urgent need to enhance the coffers of the Artistes Pension Scheme which were empty when he assumed duties. When the CEO of Derana met him with this fund raiser package he grabbed the idea and gave him full support.

In this country helping one another lacks keenness, and needs to be spurred, observed the Chairman. Don't miss out on this mega cricket extravaganza today. Tickets are at the gate. Help in the noble cause of raising more funds for the Retired Artistes Pension Scheme.

Pasquel's Sound of Music for young singers

A singer and a musician who has been performing for more than three decades and receiving many accolades as well, Keerthi Pasquel will be opening his school 'Pasquel Sound of Music' in the first week of June. A school to teach voice training and instrumental music for those who wish to be professionals in today's music industry cannot be considered redundant considering the performances of some of our young musicians on concert stages.

"There will be one school in Kiribathgoda and the other in Nugegoda, and I will be conducting it myself with other experienced and well-known musicians. Students now being enrolled are of a minimum age of ten years and includes adults as well.

What is important is that these voice-training classes will enable a student to gain necessary control, to correct any incorrect practices, to obtain the practical knowledge to develop inborn talents, to control the voice during a recording session, at a concert or any other function, and the voice-control required in musical creativity. Talented singers have to be guided in these areas. As it stands some of them are unaware of how to sing into a mike," says Keerthi when we met him the other day.

At the Pasquel Sound of Music leading musicians will be instructing the students the swift methods in mastering a musical instrument. Piano will be taught by Harsha Makalande, tabla by Premanath Kodithuwakku, drums by Mahinda Silva, keyboards by Pradeep Bogahawatte, guitar by Keerthi Pasquel and Samantha Jayaweera. The voice-training classes will be conducted by Keerthi Pasquel and Chandrasena Hettiarachchi.

For further information contact the school at 22/1, Old Kesbawa Road, Nugegoda. M.P.

Chaturika - Radio Queen 2006

Chaturika Peiris was voted the SHAA FM Radio Queen with a fifty four per cent majority after a hotly contested competition. Two weeks ago she was crowned by Muditha Shyamalee a grand winner out of the listeners who voted for Chaturika, and was picked by Chaturika. The crowning celebration was held at the Ceylon Continental Hotel recently.

With its innovative thinking and modern visionary programming SHAA FM ran this contest for its Radio Queen, twenty four hours a day from the April 1 to 14. Listeners had to vote for their favourite actress via SMS, phone in or mail with the opportunity to crown the SHAA Radio Queen. SHAA FM picked fourteen winners daily out of the voters who took part and rewarded them with cash prizes.

Chaturika was crowned on May 16 and at the occasion she thanked all SHAA listeners who voted for her, and praised SHAA FM for organising such a unique fun event. SHAA FM hopes to host more such events to keep up its reputation of being a ground breaking radio force in Sri Lanka.