Entertainment

On a success track

by Mahes Perera

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One thing is certain that with Aruna Lian today’s hip music director there’s no ‘trial and error’ in composing and arranging music tracks.

You could put that down to the fact that he is well disciplined in mind considering that he had a productive stint with the band Jayasri and other bands for 15 years in Vienna and Europe and also that he formally studied audio engineering and media designing from the School of Audio Engineering (SAE) Austria.

Now here in Sri Lanka he’s found added success as a singer, music director, sound engineer, with a western and Sri Lankan touch.

How did you acquire the name Lian? “My band members when I was playing with bands other than Jayasri found it difficult to pronounce Liyanage. As it always happens they shortened it to Lian, christened by my manager Bukra and I began to use it as a stage name.

In fact in Europe they shortened my name further to Alian!Apart from your stint with Jayasri where you were the main success behind them, what were the other bands you played with in Europe as a guitarist? “In the 80s I played with Kings, then joined a Swiss band called Imagine, moved back to the Sri Lankan band Live, switched over to the Italian band Hit House and then played with the German group Odyssey. I’ve had my moments playing with all these different groups which meant I had the opportunity to study the roots of music of the different countries.

A bit of advice I can give to our present younger generation of musicians is that there is a lot of spade work they have to do if they want to make an impact outside Sri Lanka. I can see that they are trying. My blessings to them and I’d like to tell them don’t give up - try and try and try and your’re bound to get there.”

Aruna Lian’s maiden CD Hada Salena on the Torana label contains fourteen tracks. Two of his earlier compositions which became hits the title track Hada Salena and Patapata Heenayak are included in the CD and the rhythms composed by Aruna are experimental. He has mixed reggae, rock, jazz, chill out, ethnic rhythms giving the whole a successful blend of European and Asian influences.

“I worked on this CD for four-and-a-half years, laying down tracks in Europe and Sri Lanka. I had the assistance of Nuwan Liyanage, Prasanna Lian, Saman Edirimuni, Kanchana Dassanayake, Nandana Wickremage in the composition of the lyrics.

My song was written along with Ramesh who is now working in the marketing section of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

I have another project lined up, a CD of chill out songs which I will be mixing in Vienna in my studio Alien Works.

I plan to record two new videos, I have already done four.”

In Sri Lanka Aruna Lian involved himself in writing film scores for Nisala Gira, Pitasakwala Kumarayai Pancho Hathai, Heart FM - The song Sandapayaa, for teledramas and many jingles for TV and Radio.

“Music production is on a higher level today than some years ago and that signifies that there’s progress in Sri Lanka” comments Aruna Lian.

Drive - in a route of their own

by Mahes Perera

The name of the band reminds you of a radio programme but Drive led by singer/guitarist Prabath Fernando captures your attention and you are compelled to stand and listen. The trio perform regularly at the Taj Airport Garden Hotel which has recently started a series of wide ranging recreational activities which will contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

Singer Prabath Fernando’s voice as he proudly claims is “God’s gift to him.” And rightly too. He puts across a song with, a lot of verve and projection and makes you wonder “where has he been hiding himself all these days?”

“Actually with keyboardist Shaky Fernando I did a duo scene performing at many hotels in Negombo from 1995 before I started my own band Drive in 1998 with two other musicians.

There’s Ruwan Silva the lead guitarist from the Sri Lanka Army band, who has acquired Grade 8 in guitar and has a Diploma as well. On keyboards is young Eshan Seneviratne and he fits in well with out repertoire of what I’d like to call ‘good music.’

We are quite selective, whether it be the evergreens, the hits of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s or the Sinhala songs of the 70’s - those of Clarence, Milton, Rookantha and the Gypsies.

We play mainly in Negombo for dances and parties and have ‘driven’ down to Colombo to play for weddings. For the youth we throw in hip-hop and ofcourse we cannot leave out the baila,” reveals Prabath with a smile.

Holding a day job in Sri Lankan Airline Operations, Prabath is a product of Maris Stella Negombo and was always involved in all the music activities of the college.

A member of his church choir, Prabath hails from a family of musicians - his parents were involved in music while Ivor Dennis a well recognised singer is his uncle. So any wonder!

“I have plans to record some original tracks to release a CD which I guess I should do and we are working on it,” says Prabath.

In the meantime make a visit to the Taj Airport Garden Hotel and catch the sounds of Drive and enjoy the many attractions the hotel offers to you in the evenings including karaoke which to many patrons is irresistible.

La Joie de la Musique

The Colombo Philharmonic Choir will present La Joie de La Musique at the Russian Centre on July 12 at 7.00 p.m. The Choir conducted by Manilal Weerakoon will sing a programme of choral music which includes delightful lyrics, excerpts from operas, a cantata, an oratorio and a traditional melody.

The lyrics deal on themes such as love - elusive and doomed, the serenity of evening, the exotic life of gypsies, pastoral scenes from the countryside and episodes from legend and mythology. The choir will sing works by Schubert, Schuman, Rossini, Mendelsohn, Handel, Haydn, Brahms, Bellini, Debussy and Saint - Seans.

The soloists at the concert are Eriko Tokura Perera (soprano), Minoli Goonewardena (soprano) and Sanjeev Niles (baritone). Piano accompaniment will be by Radhika Abeynaike.

Sandawatakara

By Asha Seneviratne

Music can create a better future for children because it helps to widen and develop their minds. As such a new CD of children’s songs Sandawatakara will be released soon directed by Udaya Thilakarathne the music leader of Palapathwala Buddhaghosha Maha Vidyalaya, Matale. Udaya Thilakarathne who won the award for the Best Music Director in 2002 at the State Children’s Drama Festival.

Associated with the recording of the CD are many new and talented lyricists like Shanthi Abeysuriya, Ananda Abeywickrema, Shanthi Aluwihare, Vasantha Gunawardena, Priyangani Epitawatta, Ariyapala Ratnayaka to name a few.

Some of the titles of songs are Podihamuduruwane, Kompittuwak, Dalada Karanduwa and Amme Tharu Mal. More than twenty voices of children living in and around Kandy were used by Udaya Thilakarathne to bring out the meaningful lyrics of the songs that will turn out to be a success with the youth.

Anti-drug songs

To save children from the growing drug menace, singer-artiste Chandanie Jayanetti has recorded two songs centred on developing the mind of the child. The first of her songs is about a ‘weeping mother’ of a drug addict son and how she feels about it. The song was composed by Dr. Shantha Hettiarachchi of the Health Department.

“My mission is to save the blossoming children from vice and to put them on the right track,” says a concerned Chandanie, a teacher at Wycherly International College.

The other song composed by Upul Shantha Sannasgala is all about making children realise the importance of motherly love.

The music of these two songs were by Dinesh Bogoda and recorded by Lasantha Weerasoriya and Nuwan Liyanage. Dr. Shantha Hettiarachchi is determined to help children in their teens from not using drugs, and make them worthy citizens in society.

Young talent in focus

Young talent will be showcased today when musicians meet to exchange chords with one another. Flautist Surekha Amerasinghe will play along with new talent Sheam Darius-drums and Stephen Philip-guitar with Maxie Pietersz - acoustic bass as the opening set at 1.30 pm.

The featured band will spotlight Duleep Gnanakan - bass with Kumar de Silva - piano, Shiraaz Nooramith - drums with young Anne Jayamanne - vocals.