BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND TWITTER BACKGROUNDS »

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Nanda Malini [නන්දා මාලිනී]

at 11:30 AM 0 comments  

Labels:

Sunil Edirisinghe [සුනිල් එදිරිසිංහ]

  • Birth name : Patikirige Sunil Jayapreethi Edirisinghe
  • Born in : December 19, 1949 (age 61)Colombo, Srilanka
  • Genres : Classical
  • Occupations : Musician
  • Instruments : Vocals
  • Years active : 1969 – present

Edirisinghe was born the youngest of seven children to Patikirige Edirisinghe and Ushettige Elizabeth Perera; he grew up in Waragoda Kelaniya amongst a blooming rubber industry.
Edirisinghe began his schooling at Sri Dharmaloka Vidyalaya in 1955. He moved on to Sapugaskanda Maha Vidyalaya in 1968 and subsequently Delgoda Kalyana Pradeepa Pirivena where he worked on his A/L exam.After completing his secondary education in 1969, Edirisinghe began working for the Government Printing Corporation. He debuted as a playback singer that year singing "Sandakada Pahana" for his brother Satischandra's film Matara Achchi. The song was composed by Victor Ratnayake and written by Wally Nanayakkara.
Edirisinghe studied music at Visharada P.V. Nandasiri's Academy of Music and University of Laknaw, India in the early 1970s. In 1975 Edirisinghe graduated with first class honors from the prestigious Bhathkhande Academy of Music in India. He joined the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation soon after. In 1980 Edirisinghe released his first cassette Chandra Mandala.
Edirisinghe has six siblings. The eldest Dharmasri was involved in fine arts. His sister Mercy was a music teacher; his brothers Satischandra and Nimal went into film.
Edirisinghe met his future wife Nandani "Kumudu" Munasinghe on a visit to Kandy. They were married in 1979 and had their first child Sankha Chamindra Edirisinghe the following year. In 1985 their daughter Sankhani Edirisinghe was born.

at 10:10 AM 0 comments  

Labels:

W . D . Amaradeva [ ඩබ්ලිව්.ඩී.අමරදේව ]

  • Born in :  December 5, 1927 (age 83)
  • Nationality : Sri Lankan
  • Other names : Wannakuwatta Mitiwaduge Don Albert Perera
  • Education  : Visharadha Bhatkhande Music Institute
  • Occupation : University Lecturer , Composer , Vocalist
  • Spouse : Wimala Amaradeva
  • Children : Ranjana Amaradeva, Subhani Amaradeva, and Priyanvada Amaradeva

Wannakuwatta Mitiwaduge Don Albert Perera  (born December 5, 1927 in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka), better known by his adopted name Amaradeva, is a Sri Lankan vocalist and musical composer. Primarily using traditional instruments like sitars, tablas and harmoniums, Amaradeva incorporates Sinhala folk music with Indian ragas in his work.
In the mid-1950s, Amaradeva in his Janagayana project consulted experts of the Kandyan dance tradition like Pani Bharata, Kiriganita, Gunamala, Ukkuva and Suramba in his path to understand what constituted Sinhala folk music. Noting that it mostly revolved around a single melody, he decided to add verses that would lead up to the central melody which would now be a chorus thus forming two parts (unseen earlier in traditional Sri Lankan music) removing restrictions that had existed earlier. In doing so, Amaradeva created a uniquely Sinhalese music style that stayed true to folk tradition while incorporating outside influences. His work was vital in the creation of the sarala gee genre practiced subsequently by artists like Victor Ratnayake, Sunil Edirisinghe and Sanath Nandasiri.
Pandit Amaradeva has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Philippine Ramon Magsaysay Award (2001), Indian Padma Sri Award and Sri Lankan "President's Award of Kala Keerthi" (1986) and Deshamanya Award (1998). He has also represented Sri Lanka in many forums including the UNESCO 1967 Manila Symposium, and composed the melody for the Maldives national anthem, Gaumii salaam at the request of British Queen Elizabeth II in 1972.


his official web site click here


His songs : 
Pasaloswaka Sanda
Wikasitha Pem
Sanda Tharu Nihandai
Tharu Arundathie
Sannaliyane

Pera dinayaka ma pem kala

Maha Wessaka Pera Nimithi Penenawa
Dathe Karageta
Mey Gee Eda from 'Janaka Saha Manju'
Karadara Podi Benda
Adawan wu Denethin galana
Sanda Horen Balaa


at 6:51 AM 0 comments  

Labels:

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Premasiri Kemadasa [ප්‍රේමසිරි කේමදාස]

  • Full name : Guruge Premasiri Kemadasa Perera  
  • Birth: 1937 January 25 
  • Died : 2008 October 24 
  • Place of Birth : Wadduwa - Thalpitiya 
  • School : Sri Sumangala College, Panadura, St. John College, Panadura 
  • Profession : Founded Sangitha Manjariya in 1958 , Composer , Music Director
  • Spouse : Somalatha Perera 
  • Daughters : Anupa Kemadasa ,Gayathri Kemadasa
Premasiri Khemadasa  also known as "Khemadasa Master" is one of the most influential composers in Sri Lankan Music Exploring the various styles of music around the world Khemadasa endeavored to develop a unique style of music. He combined Sinhala folk tunes, Hindustani music, Western music and many other streams of music in his compositions while adapting them to fit contemporary music.

Khemadasa's debut as a film composer came with Sirisena Wimalaweera's Roddie Kella. With his score for Bambaru Ewith he introduced a style of music unacquainted to Sri Lankan cinema. He then began collaborating with acclaimed director Lester James Peries handling the music for films like Golu Hadawatha and Nidhanaya. Critics praised his film scores and he was honorally dubbed "Khemadasa master." Khemadasa's signature in film music is molded by the use of elements from Classical Western music and other sources to heighten the emotion suggested by the picture. Some of his compositions are influenced by Western composers of opera such as Giuseppe Verdi and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Lately Premasiri Khemadasa has given his contribution to films such as Agnidahaya and very recently to Ammavarune, the last film by Lester James Peiris who has announced his retirement.
Other scores written by the master for films such as Hansawilak,Thunweniyamaya, Paradige, Yasa Isuru widened his acclaim in the field of cinema. He has also composed music for films produced outside Sri Lanka (Thousand Flowers).
Dr. Khemadasa's contribution to teledramas also brought outstanding masterpieces to the public. His collaboration with director Jayantha Chandrasiri has turned out remarkable products whereas the themes he created for Chandrasiri's television series Dandubasnamanaya have shown unprecedented power of mesmerization. A repertoire of scores written for teledramas including Chandrasiri's Weda hamine, Sathara denek senpathiyo, Akala sandhya, Dharmasena Pathiraja's Gangulen egodata, Ella langa walawwa, Pura sakmana and Bandula Vithanage's Asalwesiyo bestowed the public with unforgettable musical experiences. Also, he has contributed to the teledrama Sadisi tharanaya by Devinda koongahage, which is most probably his last contribution for a teledrama.
He also contributed to stage dramas such as Jayantha Chandrasiri's Mora, Ath, and Dharmasiri Bandaranayake's Makarakshaya & Dhawala bheeshana.
Furthermore, he has composed symphonies like Muhuda, Mage kale mavni and Sinhala Avurudda. His cantata named Pirinivan Mangalya, probably the only Buddhist cantata ever composed, was based on the passing away of the Lord Buddha and it was played at his funeral by the students of the Khemadasa Foundation.
The presence of operatic and harmonic vocals in his music is explained by his vast knowledge of opera and harmony. In his lifetime he made many experiments with techniques of singing and playing, which include the use of asymmetric patterns of beats, revolutionary harmonies and novel techniques of playing musical instruments such as the sitar.
Khemadasa is the only known Sri Lankan musician who practised and created opera. He has a large group of students many of whom were derived from rural milieus and trained for performing in his operas. His famous operas include Manasawila, Doramandalawa and Sondura Varnadasi. Recently he created the opera, Agni (opera) about early civilization. His operas, being written in Sinhalese, form what can be recognized as Sinhalese opera. Khemadasa and his pupils have conducted shows in several countries. After a layoff following a kidney transplant he returned to the field of music, even in his 70s, trying to secure the future of Sri Lankan music. At the time of the maestro's demise on 24 October 2008, he was 71 years old.


Awards he won :

1966 Senasuma Kothenada Eksath Lanka Rasika Sangamaya 
1969 Golu Hadawatha Sarasavi and Radio Ceylon Magazine awards 
1970 Narilatha Sarasavi award 
1970 Mokada Vune Critic award 
1973 Nidhanaya Critic award 
1975 Ahas Gavva Critic award 
1979 Bambaru Evith President’s award 
1980 Vasanthe Davasak OCIC and President’s award 
1982 Soldadu Unnehe President’s award (rejected) 
1983 Vasanthathil Oru Vanavi OCIC award 
1983 Ridee Nimnaya President’s award 
1983 Sirith Virith State Drama Festival 
1984 Thunveni Yamaya OCIC award 
1985 Hima Kathara President’s award 
1986 Yuganthaya OCIC and Sarasavi awards 
1986 Makarakshaya State Drama Festival 
1987 Maldeniye Simiyon OCIC award 
1990 Sandakada Pahana Sarasavi award 
1990 Siri Medura Sarasavi, OCIC and Swarna Sankha awards 
1992 Dolosmahe Pahana Sarasavi award
1992 Madhu Samaya OCIC and Swarna Sankha awards 
1994 Surabidena Swarna Sankha award 
1995 Mee Haraka Swarna Sankha award
1996 Maruthaya Swarna Sankha award 
1996 Dandubasnamanaya Sumathi tele award 
1999 Julietge Bhoomikava OCIC and President’s award 
2001 Rejana Sumathi tele award


[Listen to his work]Pirinivan Mangalya
[Listen to his work]Udumbara Hinahenawa
[Listen to his work]Sumudu Sayane
[Listen to his work]Golu Hadawatha Theme Song
[Listen to his work]Kanyavi Movie Song
[Listen to his work]Sanda Horen Horen
[Listen to his work]Wikasitha Pem
[Listen to his work]Hanthane Kandu Muduna
[Listen to his work]Koo maa pathu
[Listen To his work]Pavanata Salena
[Listen to his work]Oba ha mema
[Listen to his Work]Anduru kutiya thula
[Listen to His work]Mala Gira Gela
[Listen to his work]Sanasum Susuman
[Listen to his work]Ammawarune

His Work : 
Sapatha Soya 
Sanasuma Kothanada
Sithala Wathura

at 5:58 AM 0 comments  

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Ananda Samarakoon [ආනන්ද සමරකොන්]




  • Birth Name     - Egodahage Geroge Wilfred Alwis Samarakoon 
  • Other Names  -  Ananda Samarakoon
  • Birth Day       -  13th January 1911
  • Death           -   5th April 1962
Egodahage George Wilfred Alwis Samarakoon belongs to a Christian family in Padukka,  on January 13, 1911. He had his primary and secondary education at Sri Jayawardenapura M.V.Kotte. His Sinhala Guru was Pandit D.C.P. Gamalathge. Later he served his Alma mater as a teacher of Music and Art. Samarakone left for the Visva-Bharathi University Santinikethan in India  to study art and music. After six months he abandoned his studies and returned to SriLanka, and changed his name to Ananda Samarakoon, embracing Buddhism. Then he served as the music teacher of Mahinda College Galle from 1938 to 1942.
In 1937 , the popular music of Sri Lanka consisted  of  songs derived  from the Ragadhari music. These  songs  lyrics often contained meaningless  phrases  with little or no literary merit. Samarakone  set out to  create  a  form  of  a music that can be classified as Sri Lanka's own and came out with the song Endada Menike (1940) [Listen to ennada manike] that paved the foundation for the artistic Sinhala music. In 1940, he composed Namo Namo Mata [listen to Namo Namo Matha (NATIONAL ANTHEM OF SRILANKA)] to instil patriotism and love for one's country, in his students at Mahinda College That song was later selected as the National anthem of Sri Lanka by the Sri Lankan government.
The love themed song ' Endada Menike ' unfolds in the form of a dialogue between a young village boy and a girl. Poetic and beautifully rustic, it became a success and Samarakone followed it with a string of successful songs in the early to mid 1940s, the period considered his golden age. Among his best known works are:

at 8:48 AM 0 comments  

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)