Entertainment / People

Mata Mawak Lesin

by Mahes Perera

The singer not the song, is a saying attached to the popularity of a song. But if you pause for a moment and reflect on the saying, the creatively of the song is equally important.

More often than not, lyric writers and music arrangers are in the wings away from the spotlight. But lyric writer Dishan Nanayakkara has courageously released a CD of ten of his compositions, made popular by different artistes. Digitally mastered by Sahan Wakishta, the CD was produced by DTN Networks Toronto, Canada.

Titled Mata Mawak Lesin the album contains evergreen hits like Duka Kiyannata by Victor Ratnayake, Epa Yali Hamuwanna by Sunil Edirisinghe, Sevanella Obe by Karunaratne Divulgane. The other popular hits are Mage Malagamada sung by Somasiri Medagedara and Nirmala Ranatunge's Yali Samasannata.

Now domiciled in Toronto as an IT Consultant, Dishan Nanayakkara began delving in lyric writing when he was a student at S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia and found the exercise extremely interesting.

"My first song was sung by Somasiri Medagedara in his Sarala Gee programme in 1996. The song is Manaliyawee. I've been writing lyrics for the past twenty years and in 2005 I participated in The International Lyrics Competition conducted by Laurienten University Canada.

My song was Mata Mawak Lesin and I was fortunate to be selected to the 24th place out of 70 countries. That spurred me on to make a collection of my songs which was quite a task and I wish to record my thanks to my wife Thamara and also to Somasiri Medagedera, Sanath Mendis and Muditha Kumbukage for their encouragement and support", expressed a happy Dilshan Nanayakkara.

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Mega Concert next week

Leading Sri Lankan artistes will be on Stage to support a worthy cause of rasing funds towards the development of the school, Holy Cross College, Gampaha.

According to Annesley Malawana who will be presenting this Concert in association with the Old Girls' Association of Holy Cross College, it is going to be a Mega Concert, and he has gone to lengths to make it different. The Concert titled 'Unforgettable Melodies' will be held at the Bishops' College Auditorium on February 17 at 6.30 p.m.

The artistes who will be performing besides Annesley Malawana will be Indrani Perera, Sohan Weerasinghe, Rajiv Sebastian, Mariazelle Gunatilleka, Keerthie Pasquel and Ronnie Leitch.

All artistes will be backed by Annesley and his band Super Chimes, and the show threaded together by Clifford Richard. To add colour and glamour to the show will be Channa Wijewardene's Dancers who have always mesmerized audiences with their fabulous dance, choreography.

All proceeds will go towards developing the school in its many activities.

Golden Jubilee celebrations

The Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka will celebrate its Golden Jubilee with a concert featuring the celebrated and renowned Sri Lankan born cellist Rohan de Saram.

This special concert will be held at the Kularatne Hall, Ananda College on Sunday February 25. Rohan de Saram has chosen to perform Tchaikovsky's Variations On A Rococo Theme with the Symphony Orchestra.

The Orchestra's programme also includes Beethoven's Third Symphony, the Eroica, and Weber's Overture to Oberon. The orchestra will be conducted by Ajit Abeysekera. Besides playing in Sri Lanka, cellist Rohan de Saram will be giving recitals in Canada, Japan, Argentina, The United States as well as in Europe at Lisbon, Oslo, Amsterdam, Madrid, Venice and London.

His recording projects include Beethoven's Cello Sonatas and the Trio by Feldman.

Pradeepanjalee

Pradeep Ratnayake the acknowledged Sri Lankan sitarist will stage his Pradeepanjalee X concert today at the Lionel Wendt Theatre at 7.00 p.m. He will be performing with other well-known musicians who have been with him at the start of these concert series.

Ravibandu Vidyapathi - Sri Lankan Percussionist, tablist Wijeratne Ranatunge, bassist Alston Joachim, drummer Shiraaz Nooramith will play along with him. Cellist Dushyanti Perera will also be featured to expand on the original score of Kuveni, into a second movement.

Pradeep also intends presenting musicians new to the Pradeepanjalee line up like Kumar de Silva on piano, Jayantha Dissanayake on saxophone. Pradeep Ratnayake's drive to take Sri Lankan music to the world has succeeded with his concerts in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, The United Nations Headquarters in Geneva and the Vienna Musik Verein in Austria.

This concert at the Lionel Wendt is significant in that it is sponsored by the Lionel Wendt Memorial Fund and as we understand that it was at this theatre that Pradeepanjalee was first held and grew into a successful series.

The sitar was given a Sri Lankan identity by Pradeep, much appreciated by the many music lovers who turned up for his concert.

M.P.