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