Spreading the role of Sunshine through fusion music

One Rhythm, a concert of music organised by the Sunshine Day Care Centre aims to raise awareness on children affected by the tsunami, ethnic conflict and poverty in Sri Lanka.

The concert for a cause will feature artistes who have kept audiences enthralled and absorbed in the past with their electrifying performances.

Founder and leader of the Sri Lankan music band ‘Shakthi’, and well-known musician, fusion artist and composer, Anthony Surendra has performed with many recognized musicians and singers at home and abroad. Having studied both Western and Oriental music under the guidance of his father since the age of 8, he believes that even though real music reflects the emotions and feelings of human beings, it stems from nature.

“Though the patterns and scales are different from place to place, there is an eventual uniting power a universal appeal of music.”

His band Shakthi that has released four successful albums and received the Rasa Sammana Award consists of Anthony Surendra (leader), Visharadha Jagath Wickramasinghe, Anthony Vijendra, Trevyn Joseph, Visharadha Janath Warakagoda, Sarath Fernando and Benhur Fernando.

A master drummer of the traditional Sri Lankan school of music, Ravibandu, an erstwhile pupil of Kalasuri Chitrasena will also be performing at the concert. His orchestra consists of a combination of the complete range of traditional Sri Lankan drums.

Spending time between Melbourne and Colombo, Jerome Speldewinde comes to Sri Lanka to invigorate his spiritual self. He comes from a background of musicians, so music is in his genes. Preferring to arrange his own songs, he has a harmonic ear and so works the music to suit his vocal range. The more complicated the arrangements, the more eager he is to tackle it. Jerome who used to play jazz, country, Latin and calypso genres now has a leaning towards Spanish, Brazilian, Cuban music and the blues.

Bringing a wealth of experience from Australia where he and his band play at corporate functions and at regular weekends at night spots, Jerome is likely to give a different dimension to the music of the night.

The other artiste for the night will be Nikhil Narayan, raised and educated in the USA though of Indian ancestry. A lawyer by profession and currently working at the Centre for Policy Alternatives in Colombo, Nikhil has performed across the United States. After beginning his training at the age of 7, Nikhil had his Arangetram in 1997 in Madras and returned to Madras regularly to perform there.

Indu Dharmasena, known for putting together shows that impact on minds for a long time, will direct the production.

The Sunshine Charity, that set up the Sunshine Day Care Centre is a non-profit, charitable trust registered in February 2005. After the tsunami devastation, they saw the urgent need of single mothers forced to earn a living, to have a place where their children could be cared for and moved swiftly to help with the setting up of the Sunshine Day Care Centre in Trincomalee.

The Sunshine Charity Trustees hope to continue to raise awareness on the impact of conflict and poverty on all Sri Lankan children as they present One Rhythm on November 14 at 7 p.m. at the Lionel Wendt Theatre.

Tickets are available at The Gallery Shop at The Gallery Cafe, 2 Alfred House Road, Colombo 3.