The songs she writes and sings
When Dr. Manella Joseph saw a child working as a domestic helper, something stirred within her. Disturbed that a child who should be in school and enjoying life should be made to work, she went home and wrote ‘Child Rights’. Interpreting the world around her through her music, the singing doctor creates meaningful songs and melodies.
Dr. Manella Joseph
On March 17, at 7 p.m. at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, Dr. Manella will present ‘Musically Yours’ –a one and a half hour show with 16 original songs in both Sinhala and English. “I present a mixture of genres ranging from light classical, jazz and country to slow rock and pop,” says Dr Manella, who will donate all proceeds of the concert to Leads, an NGO that works with sexually abused children.
A retired pathologist who now teaches at Kaatsu International University (KIU), she has been singing and writing songs all her life and as a young girl, she with her sisters and brother made up the band ‘Winslow 6’. Their songs ‘Roshi’ and ‘Ran Monaru’ composed by Clarence Wijeywardene were hits of yesteryear. And since the age of 16 she has been writing songs.
Dr. Manella showcased her originals in ‘An Evening of Music with Dr Manella Joseph’ in 2013 and again in 2016 at the British School Sri Lanka. In 2017 she held two concerts at the Tourist Board Auditorium and in 2018 she performed at the Punchi Theatre in Borella, and again at Alliance Francaise de Colombo. Her CD ‘60 Years Young’ was released in 2011 with many of her original songs.
“Almost all my songs have a story,” says Dr Manella who has 35 songs to her name.
‘Musically Yours’ will feature performers such as Dillain Joseph, lead vocalist of Alien Accent, Chanuka Piyarisi, who sings in Frank Sinatra-like style and Nimal Jayamanne whom Dr. Manella describes as a local Engelbert Humperdinck. Nimal and Dr. Manella will be singing a duet ‘Let’s pretend to be lovers’ which she wrote when she and her husband celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary. Rapti Fernando’s choirs Ressonance and Vocal Essence , the latter also directed by Janaki (Nanga) Amarasuriya, will be performing two songs, one of which is called ‘Freedom’ set to the beat of Queen’s ‘We will rock you’ that was written especially for Sri Lanka’s 50th independence celebration. Anya Rodrigo, will be performing ‘Wake up’, to the beat of Peggy Lee’s ‘Fever’.
A Sinhala song segment has also been included with ‘Roshi’ and ‘Ran Monaru’ being brought back, and a version of Help by the Beatles called ‘Karuna’.
An ensemble of talented young musicians will provide live music at the concert: Nihal Jayawardene who plays the guitar, saxophone, harmonica and piano, Nimal Jayamanne on bass, sisters Tehani and Amasha Tissera on violin and cello respectively, Sudesh Fernando on piano, Dillan Biyanvila on drums, Nihal Fernando on rhythm guitar and Thilanka Jayamanne on the flute.
Tickets are priced at Rs. 2000, 1500 and 1000. To reserve tickets, please call 0777188028 or 0773073955.