A
nightingale singing her heart out
By Marisa de Silva
Singing has always been a passion for the talented, young songbird
Tharanga Goonetilleke, who has returned home for a short break,
having completed her four-year Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance,
at the Petrie School of Music of the Converse College in the USA.
Being the first Sri Lankan to be awarded a full scholarship for
singing to a University in America, the modest and cheerful Tharanga
shares the story of her love for music.
The
simple beginnings as it were…
Having left her Alma Mater, Ladies’ College in 2000 and studied
Science for her A/L’s, she was considering pursuing a career
in Medicine. However, as she had begun voice training under Mrs.
Christine Perera from the age of 12, qualified as an Associate of
the Trinity College of Music at just 17 and having won trophies,
prizes and certificates for her many musical achievements, her musical
prowess was quite evident from a tender age. “It was almost
as if I knew that I would be going abroad to pursue music one day,”
said Tharanga smiling.
Following
her win of the vocal category at the Concerto Competition in 1998,
she made her solo debut performance with the Symphony Orchestra
of Sri Lanka (SOSL) also, that year. Since then she’s performed
many times at home, and it was actually at one of those performances
with the SOSL that she was first discovered by Prof. Douglas Weeks
– a Professor of Piano at the Converse College who was a guest
performer at the concert. “Prof. Weeks is the one who encouraged
me to go abroad and train my voice and he also managed to persuade
my parents and school teachers to send me.”
Most
recent accomplishments
Over the past four years Tharanga frequently performed at Recitals,
Oratorios and Operas organised by her school and outside. The Soprano
solos for Carmina Burana by Orff and Handle’s Messiah were
among her many renditions. As for her Opera roles, Tharanga performed
the role of the Princess Pamina in The Magic Flute by Mozart, twice
over. First with the Converse Opera Theatre in Spartanburg, South
Carolina and then for the Operafestival de Roma in Rome, Italy under
the direction of Greek-born, Louisa Panou. The 40-strong cast from
around the world had worked three weeks in Rome putting the Opera
together and doing recitals and little concerts prior to their four
performance nights. The Professional International Chamber Ensemble
accompanied them under the baton of Maestro Cartanutto. “It
was an amazing experience because we got to work with people from
all parts of the world together on the same stage.”
She
also played “Lauretta” in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi
and was also awarded a Distinction in Opera for her role as “Mimi”
in Puccini’s La Boheme, the first recipient of this award
in the history of the College’s 113 years.
Plans
for the future?
Wanting to enter a Master’s programme after obtaining her
BM, Tharanga, on the advice of her teacher had applied to three
of the top-most music schools in the USA and much to her delight,
she was accepted to all three of which she was offered a full tuition
scholarship to Julliard, which she accepted. She will be returning
to the USA this September to read a Master of Music degree in Voice
and Opera. She is the third Lankan and the first Sri Lankan woman
to be accepted to this esteemed institute of music. She is also
the first Lankan to be accepted to the Julliard School for Vocal
Performance.
“When
I am on stage, I feel as though there’s no better place to
be in the whole world,”she says. That doesn’t mean that
she doesn’t get nervous or that her heart’s not racing!
But, she tends to perform better, the bigger the audience is because
she draws energy from them and starts to feel “hyped up”
and “the adrenaline rush.” However, “once I start,
it just flows and I live the role because if I’m prepared
and I know that people have come to see me, then I owe it to them
to do my very best,” she says.
Tharanga
hopes to join an Opera Company and perform after her Masters and
eventually teach music someday.
Musical
background and influences
He sister Eranga, seems to be following in her footsteps as she
was awarded a full scholarship last year to follow a BM at the Converse
College. “It was nice because we got to spend one whole year
at the same college and even took part in the same Opera once”
said Tharanga. Eranga will perform alongside her sister at the concert
next week and perform a few solos as well.
Tharanga’s
mother was the girls’ first piano teacher and her father although
never having got a formal musical training, was often their “biggest
critic”. My father too plays the piano, guitar and all sorts
of drums, and loves to sing Elvis, Engelbert and Jim Reeves favourites,
she added. “From the time I was a child, our home has always
been filled with music,” said Tharanga.
What’s
the most important thing you’ve learnt about life so far?
“Never be afraid to make mistakes.” Any artiste must
always be open to new ideas but at the same time, never be afraid
to stand up for their own personal standards and beliefs. “You
have to have a passion for whatever it is that you’re doing.
No matter what the obstacles are and how little you get out of it
monetarily, job satisfaction’s paramount at the end of the
day. So just do whatever you are doing from the heart.”
Quite
aptly titled “From My Heart”, Tharanga and Eranga in
concert, accompanied by Soundarie David, will be held on August
17, at 7.30 p.m. at the Lionel Wendt. |
