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New
design project for Padma Padma , who
has designed dresses for many pageants, has undertaken this project
with spcial care as this would be a major contest in Sri Lanka beauty
calendar. Padma started
her design career at the age of 12, when she started to design her
own dresses. "After
A Level, I got Diploma in Beauticulture. In 1978 together with my
husband, I produced a film "Ekahitha," in which I did
a small role as a school girl and did all the costumes designed
for the artistes. " she said Also she has
acted in "Dayabara Nilu" produced by Kandapole Kumaratunga.
Having travelled to Japan, U.K., Australia, Malaysia India and U.S.A.,
Padma increased her ability in artistic field. "I opened up
my own company "Pretty Woman International" in 1989, and
served as a fully fledged fashion Designer/Beautician. In 1995 I
signed a contract with Uni Films for providing artistes' costumes"
she said. Also she had
held her exhibitions in oil painting and water colours, also have
held fashion shows. "I like social service and whenever I have
free time I do some sort of service to society. I do part- time
English teaching to children, which I had done in Japan and U.S.A
too. In the film
"Ekahitha" I volunteered to do make-up, when the makeup
artist was absent (Benett Jayatunga). These days I am thoroughly
involved in pageant dresses for the up-coming beauty pageants. She also established
an association called Lady Drivers' Association, for the benefit
of the lady citizens of our country. "As a founder President of the Association, I hope to go a long way, hand in hand with my Art and Fashion" she said . Aussie
Show Gratien and
Mervyn were featured at this show, organised by the old boys of
Sri Lanka German Technical Training Institute in Moratuwa. Also, they
performed in Sydney at 'Wesley Show' organised by the old boys of
Wesley College, Colombo. Gratian and Mervyn conducted the Orchestra with Super Shahera belonging to the OBA of SLGTTI. Meloney
Magic will come true in December Derek Meloney
fans are in for a surprise. Derek Meloney, who now lives in Australia
is seriously considering a return to Sri Lanka. In a special
letter to TV Times, Derek has mentioned, that he is willing to come
back to Sri Lanka for his love of broodcasting at SLBC. The famous
broadcaster is seriously considering a return to Sri Lanka, in time
for Christmas, of course, it takes a lot of arrangements to get
the broadcaster down, and the TV Times reliably understands that,
Meloney's agent and manager Laxman Morias of Music Mart is presently
holding discussions with a number of prospective clients, including
an airline and two five star hotels. It is also
learned that a number of private audio stations are wooing Melony
back to Sri Lanka, with offers of short and long term offers. When
contacted by TVT, Derek confirmed his intention to return to Sri
Lanka for short term work, but this would definitely depend on the
outcome of discussion, now being conducted and nothing has yet been
finalized. Derek Melony
spent four months in Sri Lanka last year, a trip he described as
"fulfilling" and successful. It is understood that the
next trip could very well see Melony "on air" but from
a different stable. Derek Melony's world-wide website: www.derek m. freeservers. com. e.mail-derrick meloney @yahoo dot com. Kulatilake's
research helps Sinhala folk music For more than
three decades Kulatilake researched into Sinhala folk tradition
of poetry to understand the elements that could be used by lyricists,
composers and singers in their rendering of Sinhala songs. This method
was advocated by Pandit Ratanjankar, who was invited by then Radio
Ceylon to conduct the audition of Singers and to grade them according
to their skill of singing which meant grading their voices. The work of
another scholar W.B. Makuloluwa has to be mentioned as a pioneer
who did research into indigenous musical tradition. His book, Hela
Gi Maga' can be considered as a valuable text pointing out the musical
content of folk poetry, Vannam (recited in dancing) and Pirith (chanting
of Pali stanzas by monks in the form of benediction to the laity). In fact the
north Indian musical tradition based on Raghadari which is considered
as classical music too was based on folk music of the people living
in far-flung villages. The words and
in the course of recitation clearly show the folk idiom. They are
down to earth thoughts converting human feelings. They can be either
happiness or sadness sentiments intimately expressed when they are
sung. The Sinhala
musical tradition consists of Pirith chanted by monks. Pal Kavi
verses recited by cultivators while watching from watch huts, Paru
Kavi recited by boatmen and Vannam recited by dancers in the centre
of dancing should be studied in developing Sinhala music. Kulatilaka,
after he was appointed as the head of the research division of Sri
Lanka Broadcasting Corporation was able to achieve success in imparting
his experience to some of the up and coming singers. Singers like
T.M. Jayaratna and Neela Wickremasinghe were benefited by his research
and encouragement. Their songs became popular among the listeners
because of the new approach they have taken. The song, "dethata
valalu mal muthu vel mala potai. yayata elalu pun kusumak se babalai"
described the graceful walk of a damsel.The words and the similes
bring out the beauty surrounding the country side. Kulatilake
refers to his idiom in Sinhala music as "Jana Sangeetha"
which means peoples' music, expressing the aspirations of the people.
The artistes who were inspired by his ideas were greatly benefited. In his search
he went from village to village collecting different notations and
sounds containing in folk poems and also their recitation. He recorded
over three hundred such different musical renderings. Kalatilake
believes the fact that there are no fixed methods to improve Sinhala
music. Both Raghadari music and Western music can be made use of
in developing Sinhala music as sources. The music should contain the thinking of the people. Their aspirations and longings will enrich the musical tradition of our country. MAF
flood relief Distribution
includes kitchen utensils, straw mats clothing school books and
pens etc. The project
handled by Sarath Goonawardene, the president of MAF, Thilak de
Mel ( secretary) and Lincoln de Silva (treasurer). They also distributed
relief to the affected staff families of Morawaka Hospital under
the guidance of Dr. Ravi Daramasena of Morawaka hospital. Photograph
shows MAF President Sarath Goonawardene, Secretary Thilak de Mel
and AsstTreasurer Don Guy Ferdinando distributing relief among the
affected villagers. |
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