Cultural Diary

Major treat for Kandy's piano music lovers

The Kandy Music Society has secured the distinguished Japanese pianist Masahiko Shinohara to give a recital at the Engineering Faculty Theatre, University of Peradeniya on Sunday 31 January at 6.30 pm. Admission by programme will be available from Mrs. Bridget Halpe and at the door.

The programme will be a rich and exciting one including 6 Etudes op.25 by Chopin and his Sonata No.3, Le Tombeau de Couperin by Ravel and the Menuet Clair de Lune from Suite Bergamasque by Debussy. He has given recitals in Germany, the USA, Hungary and Nepal and performs regularly with orchestras in his home country, Japan. A versatile musician, he has accompanied actors and dancers and also played music for films.

He started taking piano lessons at ten. He attended master classes when young with Bruno Leonardo Gelber and Erick Heidsieck and graduated from the Tokyo University of Music and Fine Arts in 1989 and also obtained a Master's Degree in 1993 winning First Prize.

In 1989-1990 he studied at the cole Normal de Musique in Paris with Ramzi Yassa and from 1995-97 in the USA.

Making crime pay

Described as the "King of Tartan Noir" by American crime writer James Ellroy, UK's number 1 bestselling crime writer Ian Rankin will be featured at Park Street Mews on Tuesday 2 February at 7.00 p.m. The event presented by the British Council in partnership with Park Street Mews promises to be the biggest literary event to hit Colombo's literary calendar.

This event forms part of the British Council's Animating Literature "Book Buzz" series which was initiated with the objective of offering its audiences the opportunity to experience some of the best contemporary writing to emerge from both the UK and Sri Lanka.

Talk only and tickets available at British Council, Colombo 3.

Book Buzz events in Kandy and Colombo

The Book Buzz series is back in action presenting, the Emmy Award winning writer/playwright Michael Frayn and critically acclaimed UK writer Claire Tomalin.

They will be featured at British Council Book Buzz events first in Kandy and then in Colombo. The Book Buzz series was initiated with the objective of offering its audiences the opportunity to experience some of the best contemporary writing to come out of the UK and Sri Lanka. 'Travels with a typewriter', a feature event will be held on Tuesday 2 February at 5. 00 p.m. at British Council Kandy and 'Writing for Theatre' on Friday 5 February at 7.30 p.m. at British Council Hall in Colombo.

Featured Events: 'Jane Austen' will be held on Tuesday 2 February at 15.00 at British Council Kandy and on Friday 5 February at 16.30 at British Council Hall Colombo.

Theertha International Artists Collective

The 4th exhibition of the "Theertha Pradarshana Wasanthaya - 2009" will be opened on 23 January at 6.30 p.m. at Theertha Red Dot Gallery, 36A, Baddegana Road, Pitakotte. The exhibition will remain open till 3 February. Theertha Pradharshana Wasanthaya 2009 showcases art of Bandu Manamperi, Koralegedara Pushpakumara, Sarath Kuamarasiri and under 'Freshly Baked' exhibitions by Saman Liyanage, Aruna Widanaarachchi and Shamila Kumari and Inoka De Silva will be held.

Exhibition of arts

An exhibition of arts will be held from January 22 to February 4 at J.D.A. Perera Art Gallery, Faculty of Visual Arts of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts to mark its opening.

J.D.A. Perera Art Gallery is the realisation of a cherished dream of the students of the university who witnessed its evolution from Heywood or National Institute of Arts.