Arts

Swaranjali 2007 Classical sitar concert

by Ranga Chandrarathne

Swaranjali 2007 classical sitar concert featuring Dr. Nirmala Kumari Rodrigo and her students will be held at the Elphinstone theatre on December 7, at 6.00 p.m.

Dr. Nirmala Kumari, an acclaimed Sitarist, is an exponent of North Indian Classical music. Referring to her extra-ordinary talent, Ustad Illyas said, 'Your music filled my soul with happiness'.

'She is steeped in music and totally devoted. With a fine understanding of raga and tala and the techniques of Sitar, she has capabilities to rise to any heights in the field of performance' said Prof. K. C. Gangrade, former Dean, Faculty of Music and Benares Hindu University.

Nirmala is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Visual and Performing Arts and teacher of Sitar at the Indian Cultural Centre. Shawathi , a non-profitable organization which organized the Swaranjali , is dedicated to the promotion of Eastern Classical music in Sri Lanka. Shawathi is headed by Nirmala. In this concert, she is accompanied on Tabla by Dharshanapathi Chanaka Peiris and Shastrapathi Chandralal Amarakoon, Lecturer of the University of Visual and performing Arts.

One of the important facets of Nirmala's outstanding career in music is her extensive exposure to diverse traditions of music such as Western classical music and her experience as a teacher of music.

It should be mentioned here that after earning her PhD from Benares Hindu University, she had the opportunity of teaching at the University of Cologne in Germany. For two years, she taught North Indian Classical music at the University while attending workshops on diverse music traditions.

Apart from being a brilliant academic, Nirmala has proved her metal as a performing artist. Her music recitals were not only aired over the All India Radio and Durdarshan TV but she also performed at diverse Indian festivals of music. She also took part in public competitions and earned a name and awards including the coveted award of Sarva Shreshtha Vadak (Best Performer) in 1980.

She has toured extensively and held concerts in important venues in Europe such as in Paris, Bonn, Wuppertal, Dusseldorff, Cologne, Munich, Koblenz and Hanover.

One of the significant aspects of Nirmala's performance is her distinct style which is steeped in North Indian classical music. Her style is unique which is quite different from Pradeep Ratnayake's style. While Pradeep engaged in an attempt to bring Sitar out of its traditional milieu, Dr.Nirmala is propagating the North Indian classical music among her students and among Sri Lankan audience.

Swaranjali will offer a novel experience to Sri Lankan music lovers and would be a concert that is not to be missed out.

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Maha Re Yame at BMICH

Dayaratna-Amara felicitation ceremony:

by Ranga Chandrarathne

Maha Re Yame, Dayaratna-Amara Abhinandana - felicitation ceremony will be held at 6.30 p.m. at BMICH on December 6.

In recognition of the lasting contribution made by Dr. Dayaratna Ranatunga and Prof. Amera Ranatunga to the field of music, 'Maha Re Yame' will be conducted as a tribute to the maestros.

Well-respected musicians are known for their academic and performing excellence and earned laurels in the international arena of music. They are instrumental in introducing a generation of songs on a classical basis, thus fulfilling the role of academicians in uplifting the public's taste of music in Sri Lanka.

Perhaps, their most notable contribution to the field of music is producing generations of students who have in turn enriched the field. It is not an exaggeration that most of the leading musicians were students of Prof. Amera Ranatunga.

Dr. Dayaratna Ranatunga won numerous awards including the UNDA International Award (1994) and Bharatha Mitra Award in 1997 which was presented on the 50th Independence Anniversary of India.

Their publications include Music Mind Therapy, Sangeetha , Sangeetha Vimarshana , Saundrya Avabodha and Sarasa Sambhavana .

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Little Buds Bloom

Little Buds Bloom, a peace concert by the Centre for Performing Arts was held on November 9 and 10, at the Chinthana Centre, Nainamaduwa, Wennapuwa.

Children drawn from 20 CPA Centres participated in the peace concert. This offered an opportunity for children across cultures, religions and races to meet in harmony in a peaceful environment. The peace camp consisted of games, group work in art, handwork, children's drama, songs and dance.

The event was a success from every conceivable aspect and stressed the importance of such events with the aim promoting ethnic harmony and understanding among diverse ethnicities, races and religions.

The Centre for Performing Art was set up in 1965. It has grown into 20 centres scattered throughout the country.

RC

Exibition of paintings

A dedicated young artist, Ruwani perera is presenting a collection of wildlife and 3D temple paintings at her third solo exhibition, which commences today at the Lionel Wendt Art Centre. Rohan Pethiyagoda, The Managing Director of The Wildlife Heritage Trust of Sri Lanka will be the Guest of Honour.

Ruwani paints a wide spectrum of subjects. Though, influenced by her love of nature and animals she has devoted her time to wildlife art. She spends a considerable amount of time out in the filed gathering her own reference material for her paintings. In painting wildlife, she doesn't specialise in any one species. But she particularly loves Sri Lankan elephants and leopards.

After years of experimenting various techniques, Ruwani has developed a three dimensional art using cloth. Recently she stepped into the reproduction of temple paintings by introducing this novel technique that exactly fits the purpose which she has intended. According to her, it is very time consuming and a totally handmade technique.