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throb Sponsored by the Sri Lanka Tourism Board who brought its promoters to the country, the festival reflects the musical heritage of many cultures including Sri Lanka itself. Drawing on the rich and inspired music through its “all drumming” theme, this event showcased the largest international mix of percussion artistes ever seen in the country. The festival was spread over five days, with performances in Colombo comprising the “Festival Field” at Galle Face Green, theatre concerts at the Bishop’s College auditorium and workshops and club sessions at the Gallery at Beira Lake. Acoustic concerts aimed at all percussion enthusiasts were held at the University of Peradeniya in Kandy and the beachfront of Browns Beach Hotel in Negombo. The Festival Field was held in the true spirit of WOMAD Sri Lanka Festival of Drums, with two full evenings of stage performances, a Global Village of textiles, crafts, music, instrumentation and a selection of Sri Lankan and Asian cuisine. The last of these outdoor performances will be held today, free of charge, at the Galle Face Green, commencing at 6 p.m. The four atmospheric indoor concerts, at the Bishop’s College Auditorium featured two to three selected artistes from the festival, including Lanka’s distinguished dancer and choreographer Ravibandhu Vidyapathy, who coordinated performances which represented the cultural diversity found throughout the island. Another outstanding performer featured at the theatre concerts was Bill Cobham from the U.S.A, identified as one of the world’s master drummers. Exploiting his trademark drumming techniques that qualified him to play alongside Miles Davis and Peter Gabriel, he stunned his energized audiences into pin-drop silence at these concerts. Workshops were an integral part of the WOMAD experience allowing artistes to share their experiences and inspiration with the Sri Lankan music enthusiasts. The participants were able to witness musical demonstrations, experiment with both drumming and dance, and hear the stories behind the music and its growth within the artiste’s cultural context. Featured in the workshops was the Dhol Foundation, who took the audience into the core of Punjabi harvest, with the resounding throbbing of the ‘dhol’ drum. The Masterclass with Bill Cobham was another stunning component of these sessions. The last of these workshops will be conducted by Asere, Wicked Aura Batucada and The Bays at the Gallery at Beira Lake from 5 p.m to 7.45 p.m. today. It is open to the public free of charge. The final Club Session featuring Asere and DJ Sets will also be held at the Gallery at Beira Lake from 9 p.m. to 12 midnight. Tickets priced at Rs. 1,500 will be available at the venue. The artistes who participated at the WOMAD Sri Lanka contributed more than their music to the country during the festival week. As soon as they flew in, The Dhol Foundation from UK, led by celebrated teacher and performer Johnny Kalsi visited a tsunami project in Kalutara, where they presented the displaced children with clothes, toys, and stationery. They also held an impromptu workshop for the children, which involved them in drumming and dance. “They picked up surprisingly fast, and it felt amazing to teach them,” said Kalps from Dhol Foundation, expressing his wish to participate in other community service acts as much as possible. So as WOMAD Sri Lanka Festival of Drums draws to a close, all Sri Lankan music lovers are invited to participate in its final appearance in Colombo and share a musical experience of a lifetime with some of the world’s most talented percussion artistes tonight. |
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