Jaffna to ring out with music
View(s):The stage is set for the biggest music festival in Sri Lanka: The Jaffna Music Festival 2013!
The sister event of the Galle Music Festival, the Jaffna Music Festival will be held on March 1 and 2 in the Municipal grounds in Jaffna city, offering music lovers of all ages an opportunity to witness the fusion of Sri Lankan as well as international music groups, all performing for free.
Nritya Nadanan from Bangladesh
Giving importance to people belonging to different ethnicities in Sri Lanka, the bands will present to a collection of classical, folk, contemporary and fusion as well as music from countries as diverse as India, Palestine, Bangladesh, Norway and Brazil.
The main stage performances start from 5 p.m. and will continue till 10 p.m. daily. Entrance for all events is free of charge.
The Sri Lankan folk performances include:
- Maarai Kaatha Maveerar – the story of Joseph Vaz the Catholic missionary who travelled from Goa to Sri Lanka;
- Pakeer Baith – a traditional performance of Muslims in Ampara .
- Paparavahan Koothu – from Chulipuram, Jaffna;
- Parai Mela Koothu – drum artists from Kanakarayankulam and Mulliyawalai in Mullaitivu .
- Ritual Songs of Batticaloa – sung by the students from Swami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies, Eastern University, Sri Lanka.
- Vezhalam Padutha Veerangani – a popular Koothu existing in the Vanni which depicts the tragic story of a heroic lady .
- Sanni Yakuma – (Benthara) – a dance group that perform healing rituals with a history reaching far back into Sri Lanka’s pre-Buddhist past.
- Phoolan Devi Opera: an opera performed by the Khemadasa Foundation, composed by Gayathri Khemadasa, the daughter of the late composer Premasiri Khemadasa.
The musical groups performing will be:
- The Colombo Brass Ensemble: a group of musicians who are dedicated to promoting Brass Music in the island.
- Natharanjanee : a well-known group of classical Carnatic vocalists in Jaffna;
- Mangala Isai – Nathaswaram, Thavil : a group of popular Nathaswaram and Thavil artists from Jaffna;
- Oriental Music Orchestra: Sri Lanka’s first multi-ethnic oriental music orchestra, showcasing the diverse ethnic and regional musical traditions that exist in the country.
- Ravibandu Vidyapathi Drum Ensemble
- The Ranwala Brigade
- The Musicmatters Collective
- The International
music bands will be:
- Sabreen Association from Palestine
- Casa Murilo from Norway
- Chirkutt from Bangladesh
- Harmonia Do Brasil from Brazil
- Nirtya Nandan from Bangladesh
- Ila Arun Troupe from India
Apart from the music, the festival will have Music Workshops, Sound Engineering Workshops designed to attract traditional and amateur musicians, sound engineers and also students who are interested in music and social media. Other activities include pre-Festival Group Empowerment Programmes and traditional arts and crafts.
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