Arts

An inspiring classical music concert

Sharada Sangeeth Sanghitha:

by Ranga Chandrarathne

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Sharada Sangeeth Sanghitha, a classical music concert by Anil Mihiripenna will be held on March 28 at 6.00 pm at the Elphinstone Theatre with Alok Prasad, the High Commissioner of India as the Chief Guest. The concert is held to mark the 25th Anniversary of Sharada Kala Nkethanaya.

Anil Mihiripenna was educated in Shanthi Niketana in India and earned two degrees in music (flute and esraj). The show is open to public and the concert is made up of classical and semi-classical pieces as well as vocal and instrumental pieces. Mainly three orchestras will play in the concert; one which is purely made up of Tabla titled 'Udana', 'Ketaka Mahima'.

The first item of the concert is a song composed in Sanskrit titled 'Hansa Vahini' which is followed by a pure classical item Khyal (imagination) and Tharana. The member of the staff will sing a Gassel song which is composed in Urdu. It is a semi-classical song while the students will perform 'Kathak' and 'Bharata Natyam' dances.

Those are devotional dances for god. The highlight of the programme is the orchestration by Anil Mihiripenna on Ramya, Suramya and Subha (three palaces built for prince Siddhartha by his father king Suddodana).

It is for the first time, perhaps, in the world that a composition is made on luxurious life that Prince Siddhartha spent in Ramya , Suramya and Subha the three palaces built for the Summer, winter and rainy seasons.

The music for the Ramya is a soothing music while music for Suramya and Subha are different music in keeping with the seasons. For the summer, Anil Mihiripenna has used Rag Mal Kaunse. However, the rest of the music for this piece is not based on Rag.

For Subha, he has not used Ragas such as Meg Maihar associated with the rainy season for the simple reason that those who are in the palace Subha should not feel the rain.

Apart from the students of the Sharada Kala Nikethanaya, Anil Mihiripenna has invited an Indian artiste, Prof. Manda Vising, a well known academic from Indira Sangeethi Kala Vishvavidyalaya.

She is a professor of 'Kathakali' dance. The dance item by her will be the concluding item of the concert. Anil Mihiripenna is grateful to the principle sponsor of the event Dialogue TV and several persons such as Riza Jumar who is a live-wire behind the show.

Artist of distinction who left indelible footprints on contemporary Sri Lankan paintings

Somabandu Widyapathy's birth anniversary:

by Ranga Chandrarathne

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Perhaps, the most striking feature of Somabandu Widyapathy's paintings is the unique style he developed which is based on Sri Lankan temple painting tradition and is highly influenced by Western classical paintings.

Although there are not many painting left to indicate his talent in the craft, the murals in image shrine of Bellanwila Rajamahaviharaya which were exclusively done by Somabandu Widyapathy bear testimony to his vast knowledge and expertise in the area.

Somabandu Widyapathy was born on March 22, 1923 in the village of Pannipitiya, into a family of artists who were specialised in the temple and bali paintings. He grew up under the influence of his grandfather Kornelis Gurunanse who was an astrology, painter and dancer. His grandfather taught him the basics of many traditional Sinhalese arts forms, thus initiating him to the world of arts.

As it was milieu full of traditional arts forms associated with Buddhist festivals and flourished in the slow-phase life in the village, Somabandu derived inspiration of kolam and nadagam performances. Though this fascination with dancing led to his study of dancing under legendary Chitrasena for a spell, he gave up it to pursue studies of sculpture and painting at Santiniketan in India.

In 1945 Somabandu entered the hallowed precincts of Santiniketan where he extensively immersed himself in the craft of painting under leading lights of the day. Among his teachers at Santiniketan, Nandalal Bose (1882-1966) was perhaps, the most prominent figure who was credited for his singular contribution to the creation of national tradition of painting in India.

Nandala's influence is pervasive in Widyapathy's paintings. He also studied South Indian sculpture and paintings in the Department of Fine Arts at Travencore University, India.

Though it is a little known fact, Somabandu Widyapathy was abreast with the latest developments of paintings of the day and was a voracious reader in both Sinhala and English.

Recollecting his vast knowledge not only of the history of arts but also of the world affairs, one of his sons Ravibandu Widyapathy stated that Somabandu Widyapathy was also influenced by western classical artists such as Gorgang Vangola. He also pointed out those remaining paintings of Somabandu Widyapathy show a remarkable diversity which is rarely found in a painter with such a quick succession; abstracts, figurative drawings as well as his own style. It seems that within a space of few paintings, Somabandu had covered many aspects.

His career in arts is manifold spreading into many branches such as paintings, murals, costume design, sets. He has introduced a grammar of making costumes. He created two styles of costume designing; one which is based on traditional dances to suit the modern stage and another which is appropriate for modern dances.

He was also instrumental in introducing an art of making costumes and sets especially designed for ballet. In addition, Somabandu Widyapathy also drew commercial drawings though in a small scale. In sculpturing, he is best known for his statues of Buddha with the characteristics of sculptures in Polonnaruwa era.

His murals depicting the history of Somawathi chaitya and Kirivehera in Kataragama though could not see as they were imbedded in pagodas, were in line-drawings and colour patches. These drawings on marbles were done in the early part of 1960's.

Tracing back to the paintings in the temple tradition, it can be stated that Somabandu Widyapathy has extended it to the future generation by assimilating novel compositions and colours and fine tuning the tradition to suit the modern set up. The paintings depict the story of the king Asoka and important events associated with the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The paintings have powerful figures and dramatic movements which convey a balletic quality.

Perhaps, Somabandu's knowledge of dancing and experience in designing sets would have been contributed to this dramatic quality. Another aspect is that his figures have been highly influenced by line-drawings, classical Indian paintings and Sri Lankan classical paintings.

Somabandu Widyapathy was the hand behind exquisitely designed sets and costumes for most of Chidrasena's productions including the ballets Karadiya, Nala Damayanthi and Kinkini Kolama.

Though Somabandu Widyapathy is no more with us, his rich artistic legacy will remain inspiring generations to come.

Theatre and communication as a therapeutic tool

Thidora Theatre Institute for Disability Oriented Research and Advocacy:

Vasana Wickramasena	Rohana Deva Perea

The official Website of the THIDORA Theatre Institute will be launched on March 27, 2008 at its auditorium at Pannipitiya Thalawathugoda. The institute with the objective to promote and enhance creativity of the disabled in Sri Lanka is also reviving the Ranga Silpa Shalika Theatre Training Course designed by veteran dramatist Damma Jagoda with a novel format.

It should be mentioned here that the Institute should be commended for playing a role in advocacy on issues relating to disables in Sri Lanka at a time that accessible regulations for disables have been neglected.

The Communication workshops of the Institute will be conducted by a panel of expert lecturers including Prof. Sunanda Mahendra, Buddasa Gallapaththi, Gamini Haththotuwegama, Wasana Wickramasena, Marshal Jananath, Suminda Sirisena and Kalasuri Rohana Deva Perea.

Young academic Vasana Wickramasena is well-known personality in Communication, Journalism as a researcher.

He is the Course Director for the Advanced Certificate Programme in Journalism at the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) and teaches development communication to the MA in Development Studies.

In addition he serves as a visiting lecturer/examiner in political science and mass communication at the Department of Social Studies at the OUSL, and is the lecturer/examiner in Industrial and Business Law at the Department of Industrial Management at the University of Kelaniya.

Vasana who heads the Communication and Research wing of the Institution holds a MA in Journalism from the Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines and an LL.B from the University of Colombo (2001).

Vasana is the first and only Sri Lankan member of the International Media Lawyers Association based in the Oxford University. Prof. Sunanda Mahendra who is a former Professor of Sinhala and Mass Communication at the University of Kelaniya is another resource person who is an internationally recognised academic.

RC

'Music maketh a man'

by Rosanne Koelmeyer Anderson

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'When griping grief the heart doth wound, and doleful dumps the mind oppress, then music, with her silver sound, with speedy help doth lend redress'- Shakespeare. Music is the food of love. It is a great healer .... a healer of hearts, of many common serious illness; heart disease, pressure and diabetes which often takes the better of most people.

Its magical powers are yet a mystery but music is considered a complementary medicine, can be a relief syndrome and accelerate healing for even cerebral palsy and neurological disorders,disability and even relieve pain tolerance says Psychologist A.X. de Silva who is involved in transpersonal psychology.'

So, listen to music and relax for about an hour because listening to music directly influences the pulse, can be helpful in functional cardiac disorders caused by excessive psychological stress leading to autonomic dysfunction and the electric activity it has on muscles.

The effect of music on the human mind has shown positive results in the recent past.' 'Neuro scientists now suspect that music can actually help build and strengthen connections between nerve cells in the cerebral cortex and perhaps that is probably why listening to Mozart before an IQ test is said to boost scores according to researchers at the University of California.'

The music of Bach, Beethoven and Mozart could turn you on as much as nature music or even hard metal rock or the lovely golden oldies. The psychologist says he uses many of India's Dr Rishi Kendra's CD's which are freely available at the Super stores to enhance the lives of many people.

According to him Dr Rishi Kendra had studied different melodies and its effect on people's emotions and he had put together what he believes to be the best tunes for different moods, most being oriental Indian.

Dr. de Silva says in Sri Lanka the music of Pundit Dr Amaradeva and Prof Sanath Nandasiri too are used as forms of music therapy while popular therapies for better health which come in six inter related forms as in the Heart Chakra and its music for heart disorders, Aswari, music for lowering high blood pressure, Nirvana which has music incorporated for peace and tranquillity, Neethra for sound sleep, Kathera for overcoming depression and Saranga to manage the all time stress factor are freely available in many music centres.

'The use of music therapy helps accelerate learning, focus attention and enhances health.

'The ragas have a de stressing effect while the spiritual healing provides an immense effect within a short while. It could thus be concluded that ' music actually , maketh a man.' So, don't care less just listen to the radio and make hay while the sun shines on you,' he says.