entertainment

Music in different styles

The saying goes that music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. How true the saying is! Furthermore apart from its ‘washing’ action music is exhilarating and is the adrenalin to perk you up. For a week of varied performances drop by at the Trans Asia during and enjoy the music of the pianists performing at different times of the day.

Be it mid-morning, or afternoon and early evening the pianists to entertain you are the well known Nihal Corea, Kumar de Silva, Paul Pereira and Pimal Fernando and Klavier. The latter play as a duo on violin and piano. These pianists have a wide repertoire of music ranging from pop to modern classics to jazz to popular golden oldies and when the occasion arises fusion music too.

As for the late evening performers there’s Yohan and Honorine on Mondays, Classic on Tuesdays, Watsala and Suresh on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

A duo who have received wide popularity Warren and Rizette are featured on Thursdays, while Shyami and Inner Sound play on Fridays and C&C take the stage on Sundays. What’s more there’s Voyages on Sunday afternoon and singer guitarist Adrian Pietersz on Fridays. M.P.

Edged in Gold - a musical extravaganza

By Mahes Perera

[email protected]

There was a time in Sri Lanka when the music industry and entertainment was in its peak and hard to beat. And the showman who was responsible for it all was the late Donovan Andree to whom music, in the words of the modern song by John Miles was “his first love”.

To celebrate these golden years of Donovan Andree and his son Malcolm, a grand musical tribute and an extravaganza will be staged on September 6 at the BMICH commencing 6.45 p.m. Titled “Edged in Gold” the show will feature a galaxy of singers who graced the stages at various times.

The media sponsors are Sunday Observer, Daily News, Rupavahini Corporation and SLBC.

The singers who will pay their musical tribute are Corinne, Ronnie, Sohan, Mariazelle, Annesley, Indrani, Maxi Rosairo, Antoinette, Myfanwy, Angeline Gunathilaka, Anil Bhareti, Jean van Heer, Noel Ranasinghe, Lankika and Chanaka and many more.

The show will feature the legendary singer Erin de Selfa who was an icon in the early years. She will make a special appearance with Neri Fernandez. Host and guest performances will be by Mignonne and Noeline.

The music backing is by the Marians.

Dance acts will see the Channa Wijewardena Dance Group in action and also Latin American Dance acts.

Donovan Andree a respected ‘entrepreneur of entertainment’ launched and promoted a host of our singers and many were the international entertainment acts he brought into the country then to give Sri Lankans numerous opportunities to enjoy these foreign acts.

The Orchid Room at Victoria Park was the hub of all the music activity, and music lovers who patronised this venue regularly took back home with them memorable memories of performances.His demist was a sad loss to the entertainment industry.

However, his son Malcolm who took over continued the work of Donovan. Singer Erin de Selfa rise to fame here in Sri Lanka and internationally was nurtured by Donovan Andree. She started off her music career as Dinah and the Red Tails before she acquired the name Erin de Selfa.

“Edged in Gold” will be presented by DK Promotions in association with Ceylon Biscuits Limited. Tickets are available at Torana - Liberty Plaza and Majestic City and Video International. More to follow in the weeks to come.

Lakshitha launches maiden CD

by Nadira Gunatilleke

‘Lakshitha’, the maiden album of Lakshitha Hettiarachchi will be launched on September 1. The album contains 16 songs including Sudu Asu and Samanala Thatu. Anjali Mishra, an Indian artists has also contributed to this album by composing songs. Madumadhawa Aravinda, Wijaya Bandara Welithuduwa and several other popular artists have contributed to this album.

This 21 year old singer, lyricist and producer and businessman is an old boy of D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo. He is the Managing Director of Dreamline, a production house which has already produced about seven albums.‘Sobana’ is one of the current hits of this artist. He is started his music career three years ago and wish to help newcomers.

Showcase 2008

The students of Yoland School of Speech and Drama will present an evening of Lively and Humorous Skits from Popular Stories which will take you back to an era of nostalgia. The presentation is directed by Samantha Abeyweera de Soysa and the show will go on boards at the Lionel Wendt Theatre from August 29 to 31.

Concertaid VII

This year’s Concertaid VII, generously sponsored by the French Embassy and the Alliance Francaise de Kandy, is different. It includes two substantial offerings of choral works by Gabriel Faur‚: his Cantique de Jean Racine and the two haunting choruses Libera Me and In Paradisum with which he ends the celebrated Requiem. The concert ends with Vivaldi’s Gloria.

The vocal part of the programme is further varied by the inclusion of a “classical scat” ? Bach’s Air on the G String and Caccini’s Ave Maria sung by three members of the choir. The 30-strong choir is directed by Bridget Halp‚ who has been called ‘an inspirational conductor’ She picks up the baton for the 45th year, while the choir itself has been in existence for 55 years since its founding by Cambridge man Robin Mayhead who was teaching in Peradeniya English Department at the time. All proceeds go to the Deaf and Dumb and so you are urged to take ‘donor’ seats at 1000/- .

The performance in Kandy will be on August 29th at 6.30 pm at Girls High School Hall and the performance in Colombo will be on August 31 at 7.00 pm at St. Peter’s College Hall, Bambalapitiya.