Tanya’s musical venture in Chengdu, China
Tanya performing in Chengdu and below presenting her CD
Although she is a classically trained pianist, her compositional skills are the result of a purely intuitive and natural development. Since August 2014, Tanya has been contracted by Naxos Records, the world’s largest independent classical music record label.
Her remarkable career has taken her on an exciting journey across the world – just last month, Tanya was invited to Chengdu, China to present a solo recital of her own works. Here, she also received the honorary appointment as the Ambassador of Culture Exchange between China and Sri Lanka by the Sichuan Provincial Council.
The Sunday Times caught up with Tanya on her return to Sri Lanka.
- Tell us about your recent tour of China. What took you there, and what was your experience like?
I was invited to give a recital of my own works for solo piano in the city of Chengdu and also engage in music welfare activities to promote music in China organised collectively by around seven Chinese organisations affiliated to the Government of China. The Sri Lankan chapter of the International Business Council was also involved in coordinating events. I was deeply moved by the audience’s response to my music and equally touched by the hospitality and warmth of the many Chinese individuals I met and came to know during the tour. I felt completely integrated and at home notwithstanding the fact that I do not speak their language.
- Tell us about your appointment as Ambassador of Culture Exchange between China and Sri Lanka.
Following my recital, I was invited to accept the post of Ambassador of Culture Exchange between China and Sri Lanka by the Sichuan Provincial Council for Promotion of International Cooperation and Investment of China. I was appointed on the 30th of December last year.
- This tour follows on from your most recent solo recital in Edinburgh in October 2019, where you premiered a new composition. What led you to perform there?
The Edinburgh Global Chapter of The University of Edinburgh invited me to give a recital of my own works in honour of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. ‘Saturn: Gond Inspired’ was the final work I performed in this recital and this recital represented its world premiere.
It is a fairly long work of around eleven minutes which evolved in August 2019 and combines eight intertwining themes. Seven themes correspond to the four groups of rings and three groups of fainter rings presently known to belong to the planet Saturn. The eighth theme is intended to represent all that is unknown about the planet, yet to be discovered, perhaps, or destined to remain hidden to humanity. One of the prominent themes, which also recurs as a motif within some of the other themes, is an adaptation of a melody belonging to the ancient indigenous Indian tribe known as the Gond.
- In terms of your compositions, what does your creative process generally entail? What, or who inspires you?
My works evolve when I am at the piano and at times in my waking sleep. They are not scored in any form and instead reside frozen in my memory once evolved. The works are entirely structured and conceptually linked whilst also being autobiographical. I am inspired by a very wide variety of musical styles though classically trained and influenced by life in its totality. I am particularly inspired by ancient indigenous and folk melodies which are echoed and at times merged together in my works. So far, my works have collectively incorporated reinventions of all 18 Sri Lankan vannams, many of which have not been previously harmonised or adapted for the piano as well as various traditional melodies of Armenia, China, India, Japan, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
- What does 2020 hold in store for you?
I travel to Hong-Kong next month to adjudicate the piano division of one of the world’s largest music festivals which takes place over a period of one month. In and amongst other musical activities, I shall continue work on my third solo album of works for the piano for Naxos Records whilst looking forward to nurturing musical ties between China, Sri Lanka and beyond and continuing to teach part-time at The University of Edinburgh.