Melantha's new venture:

Bringing out the music in you

by Mahes Perera

The first time you see Melantha Perera in action on stage, contradictory thoughts cross your mind. For a mild, soft spoken person, the intensity of his performance behind the keyboards makes you stop and listen. A long-standing member of the popular band, 'Mirage', Melantha has now chosen to steer a different path and has put his heart and soul in starting off a school of music in his hometown Moratuwa. Called the Riversheen School of Music (Riversheen the name of their ancestral home), Saturday, June 20 will be open house for those who wish to be guided in music expression by Melantha.

Would this mean that we will not be seeing Melantha on stage?

"Yes I have taken a turn but this is mainly sharing my experience with the youngsters and with whoever who wants to take up music as a profession. I will continue to perform. At the moment we are having a chill out, which normally happens when we come back after a long tour. I have not left Mirage, don't be misled," says Melantha with conviction.

In a scenario where there are many individual tutors and less of academies to impart musical knowledge in the pop idiom Riversheen will not concentrate only on voice production. "No, no, no I'm concentrating on the entire range-drums, bass guitar, lead guitar, voice and of course the grooming of a band.

Our youngsters are talented but when it comes to a performance the members don't display that professional outlook which is vital to a band; the little things that catch the attention of the audience; and my aim is to ensure that the youngsters get it the right way."

Some may wonder what kind of syllabus Melantha will follow when teaching the students. Will he be following the established syllabus of the international institutions?

"It's my syllabus, because it is pop, pop. It's not classical. But I will be teaching the basics, which the students need to know. Though my mother was a music teacher, I still learn.

We will be giving out certificates endorsing the success of the students and at the moment my brother Rukshan and I, are exploring to liaise with an international institution. We will be introducing skype workshops; with a foreign institution which in today's context is vital to the progress of our talented young musicians.

We have talent and this was amply demonstrated at the Battle of the Bands contest, which we organised. There were 37 bands, some unheard of bands, competing to win the title. Where were they hitherto? We have talent in Sri Lanka. It's just that it needs a force to push it into the spotlight. So nothing could be more apt than the motto of my school - 'We bring out the music in you'. Actually I was having a conversation with Dr. Preashini Pieris the other day, who has a school in the classical music idiom and she was happy that I have ventured on this project because she said that at the end of the day if a student can take up say a guitar and play, then that is an achievement."

At Riversheen, Melantha intends having annual concerts to encourage the students and more importantly keep the parents happy on the progress of the students. The basic course will last four months, then it will be the intermediate and advanced courses. For advanced courses specialised teachers will handle the classes.

Online instructions will also be introduced. Although a fee for the course is included, Melantha expressed the fact that if a talented student is unable to meet the required fee commitment, he would gladly give the student the opportunity to study free of charge.

"After all I studied my music free of charge, so I should share my knowledge! Now with this venture I am also opening a path for Sri Lankan originals to be sent over to a foreign talent scout for audition and release - this is my ultimate goal", voices Melantha.

As an artiste you have to venture out, and that's what Melantha has decided to do.