arts
More than a talent show
Harmonious expressions:
by Ranga Chandrarathne
“Music, exalts each joy, allays each grief,
Expels diseases, softens every pain,
Subdues the rage of poison, and the plague- John Armstrong
 It was the first ever talent show of the students in the Department
of Western Music in the Faculty of Music at the University of Visual and
Performing Arts.
The performance, among other things, vindicated the commitment on the
part of deserving students who have mastered several instruments of
music as well as the self-less dedication on the part of their lecturers
and visiting lecturers who contributed to make the concert a phenomenal
success.
Despite numerous constraints in terms of lack of basic infrastructure
facilities such as instruments of music and even a fitting conference
hall with state-of-art facilities, the students showed that they are
second to none in terms of their talents and knowledge of Western Music.
The variety of music scores played by students to their original
glory and the degree of dexterity with which they played them
demonstrated in no uncertain terms that the future is bright for the
newly established Department of Western Music.
Significantly the Department of Western Music at the University of
Visual and Performing Arts is the only institution which offers students
fully-fledged Degree in Western Music in Sri Lanka.
Sonata in C by M. Clementi, Sonata in G by Haydn, Sonata in C by M.
Clementi, Sonata in G Major by M. Clementi which were played on piano
and melody by Tchaikovsky played on Violin by students and Gypsy tune by
Sarasate which was played by Ananda Dabare (Guest Artist) offered a
glimpse into the diverse and rich traditions of music from different
parts of the globe.
 Violin -duo by Mozart played by second year students Asanka and Asela
was one of the best pieces of music that amply demonstrated the long
hours of hard practice on the part of the students and knowledge of
music they gained even though they are still second year students.
Allegro Molto by Beethoven which was played on Saxophone by second
year student Chamani Weerawardhana and Menuetto & Trio, Mozart’s
original piece, also on Saxophone by second year student Isuru Imbulana
were also enthralling and once again demonstrated technical perfection
on the part of players.
Students also showed their talents not only in playing different
instruments of music but also rendering their voices.
Apart from academic translucence, the concert showed the potential of
Sri Lankan students and the prospects of producing accomplished
performers who are conversant with many traditions of music and can play
with orchestras in any part of the world.
The Harmonious Expressions was the first concert conducted by
students of the Department of Western Music following its inception in
2006.
The founder Head of the Department is B. R. Dassanayake who was the
architect behind the concert.
The first batch of graduands are due to be conferred their degrees in
2010. The Department offers, for the first time in Sri Lanka, the
opportunity for deserving students to follow a course of study leading
to a special degree in Western Music “Bachelor of Performing Arts” with
seven subjects. The Department is in the process of building up a choir
and an orchestra which lecturers intend to continue with.
Pulimood Memorial Oration
The annual Susan George Pulimood Memorial Oration of Visakha
Vidyalaya will be held at Jeremias Dias Hall of the school at 5.15pm on
Wednesday.
This year the oration will be delivered by Dr. Dhanapali Kottahachchi,
Consultant, Public Administration and Research, Sri Lanka Institute of
Development Administration. The subject of the oration will be
‘Enhancing the Role of Secondary Education.’
The 101st birth anniversary of Ms.Susan George Pulimood falls on July
23. Ms. Pulimood was born in Southern India as the third daughter of Mr.
Joshua, magistrate who later became a District Judge of the state of
Travancore. She belonged to one of the oldest communities ; Syrian
Christians.
Ms. Pulimood had her secondary education at the renowned Baker
Memorial School. She entered to Queen Mary’s and then to President’s
College to obtain her Masters degree in Botany. She co-authored the Text
Book of Botany which was the standard text used in Sri Lanka and other
Asian countries. Passion for for teaching made her to pursue her
education and obtained the licentiate of teaching from Wellington
Training School.
She taught for a brief period in Southern India and came to Sri Lanka
in 1941, and started teaching English, Mathematics and Botany.. She
taught at Visakha for two years and returned to India. In 1943, at the
request of then principal Mrs. Clara Motwani she returned to Sri Lanka
to take in-charge of the Bandarawela branch of the school.
The school moved to colombo in 1945 and was housed at the Mallika
home for the aged. The school then moved to 133, Vajira road, the
premises donated by the founder of the school, Mrs. Jeremias Dias. Mrs.
Pulimood took over the school immediately after the second world war and
had the uphill task of reorganising it from the chaotic state in which
it was in.
Chinese Archaeological Ceramics in Sri Lanka
A significant collection of ancient ceramics ware from the periods of
seven Chinese dynasties have been unearthed in Sri Lanka.
The earliest ceramics are from the period of Tang Dynasty
(618-906A.D), Five Dynasties and Ten kingdoms (902-979A.D). . Ceramics
remains from North Song, South Song, Ming, Yuan, and Qing dynasties and
ancient Chinese coins have also been discovered.
Chinese inscriptions found in some of the ancient ports of Lanka
provide valuable information on ancient Sino -Sri Lanka relationships
and archaeological and historical values of Chinese ceramics found in
Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka was a central port in the ancient Indian Ocean trade.
Ancient Sri Lanka was the place of bartering goods, specially Far East
to West and South to East shipping trade as well as it was developed as
a main enter port of the East to West sea route of Indian Ocean.
Sea trade facilitated and had direct impact on close bilateral
relations between ancient China and Sri Lanka in the fields of trade,
commerce, culture and politics.
Ancient Sino-Sri Lanka relationships are explained and discussed in
Sri Lankan historical literature such as “Sihalavattuppakarana” (5A.D),
“Sahassawatthuppakarana” (9A.D), Buthsarana and Jataka Atuwa Getapadaya
(12A.D) and in Pujawaliya (13A.D).
According to historical references earliest documented evidence on
Sino-Sri Lanka relationship date back to first century A.D. At that time
Han dynasty’s missions reached several south Asian countries including
Sri Lanka which was known as in Chinese Ssu-Cheng-pu means Sinhadipa1.
Later on Chinese emperors send several missions to the Island. There
were several high lighting events in this historical relationship of the
both states. On 411-412 A.D Chinese great monk Fa-Shien visited the
Island and examined Buddhist textual reference for about two years.
Fa-Shian in his historical travelogue mention about the island
situation, his unforgettable incidents in the country and details about
the Sri Lankan navigation2. After that during Anuradhapura kingdom in
the period 1260-1294 A.D, Yuan dynasty’s reign of Kublai Khan’s four
Chinese missions reached Yapahuwa and Dambadeniya, the sub kingdoms of
Sri Lanka.
At that time Sri Lankan missions were also sent to Yuan court.
Chinese foreign policy expanded since Tang dynasty (618-906).
During the Yuan dynasty China played a greater role of the Ocean
trade along the Far East to West. During the Ming dynasty (1368-1644A.D)
Sino-Sri Lanka inter relationships were at a very high level with
Chinese Ming court Admiral Cheng ¨CHo’s coming to Island in on 1405,
1409, 1411 and 1412 A.D. to do homage of the imperial court.
Several collections of ancient Chinese ceramics have been unearthed
in Sri Lanka from ancient port sites as well as from archaeologically
important inland sites such as historical monasteries.
The ceramics found date back to ancient Chinese dynasties, the
earliest from the period of Tang dynasty’s (618-906 A.D)
On 411-412 A.D the grate Buddhist expediter Fa-shian reported that he
did saw Chinese made Taffeta fan in front of the Buddhist statue at
Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka.
Most of inland hoard of Chinese Ceramics have been discovered in
Buddhist monastery sites in the island since Tang dynasty to southern
Song dynasty.
- Internet
Festival of Drama
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