David returns for an organ recital for Easter
David Ratnanayagam, Assistant Organist at Durham Cathedral,UK, will be presenting a collection of works for organ at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour on April 10 at 7 p.m.
Son of an Anglican priest, David grew up surrounded by music, making his family a “huge” influence on his musical upbringing.
“They have always been supportive,” he wrote to the Sunday Times, “and made great sacrifices to ensure that I had not only an excellent teacher but the best educational opportunities possible.”
David started piano lessons when he was seven years old and achieved his diplomas with “a wonderful teacher,” Mrs. Doreen de Lima. He was also heavily involved in choral activities during his school years at St Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, which again had a “significant impact” on his love for sacred music.The University of Melbourne accepted the young Ratnanayagam as an English and Music student, soon after his secondary education. In the interim between the two, he also took singing lessons with the late Kalasuri Lylie Godridge.
During his undergraduate career, Ratnanayagam set himself a star record as organist, winning the Herbert Davis Organ Prize, and an Australasian organ competition as well as awards from the Victoria Society of Organists and the Royal College of Organists. He graduated from Melbourne with first class honours in Organ Performance and then was Assistant Organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne for four years. He holds an MA in Music Performance from Durham University and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists.
Currently Assistant Organist at Durham Cathedral where he was Organ Scholar before, Ratnanayagam plays regularly for services and recitals, apart from maintaining a busy schedule as soloist, accompanist and teacher.
“Even if music had not been my profession, it would have played a significant part in my life,” he says of his prestigious musical commitments. “At some level I probably always knew it was my calling – as a child and teenager I don’t think I enjoyed anything as much as the opportunity to make music.”
A testimony to this passion is the work David does as Director of Music and Organist at St Cuthbert’s Church, Darlington, a large medieval parish church in the town centre. The choirs of this church have greatly benefited from his commitment to the development of its music, flourishing in his tenure, expanding to include a children’s choir and moving on to participate in national and international competitions.
Not often in Sri Lanka, David last performed in Colombo in January 2012.
On April 10, he will play from a programme which includes Mendelssohn’s ‘Sonata in D’, the ‘Trumpet Minuet’ by Hollins, and ‘Allegro moderato and Skandinavisch (from Sonata in G sharp minor)’ by Rheinberger as well as works by Bach and Caesar Franck among others. To end “with great triumph and excitement”, Ratnanayagam has chosen ‘Carillon de Westminster’, Vierne’s interpretation of the Westminster bells.
Faith has shaped his disposition as a musician and performer, David believes, insofar as his music is a response to his faith. And so his focus for his upcoming Sri Lanka recital, timed for Easter week, is a reflection of the majesty and glory of Christ’s resurrection, combined with his constant standard for musical performance, to “understand the very heart of [the music], to perform it fearlessly and to very best of [his] ability”.