Fiesta of Gospel and Church music

Many of the country’s well known artistes and most members of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka, will perform a repertoire of Gospel and Church music, when Christ Church, Galle Face, presents a musical fiesta at the Church on Friday, November 3.

Prashalini Peiris (soprano) will sing ‘You Raise Me Up’ by Josh Groban as well as Mendelssohn’s ‘O for the Wings of a Dove’. She will be accompanied on the piano by talented young musician Asitha Tennakoon.

Young Laknath Seneviratne, who has a rich bass voice, will be singing ‘Largo’ by Handel and also Schubert’s ‘Serenade’. He is a parishioner of Christ Church, Galle Face.

Dominic Johnpillai who recently released a CD on Gospel and Church music will play a violin solo “Thais” – Meditation by Massanet and ‘Spring’ (Four Seasons) by Vivaldi, accompanied by Ramya de Livera Perera.

Popular flautist Sureka Amerasinghe will perform a virtuosic work – ‘Carnival of Venice’ by Paganini (Briccaldi Variations). Talented flautist duo Tilanka Jayamanne and Ruvindra Angunawela will play ‘Scherzo’ from ‘The Mid Summer Nights Dream’ by Felix Mendelssohn.

Renowned musician Ramya De Livera Perera, who is also a parishioner of Christ Church Galle Face, will be accompanying several of the instrumentalists.

Another interesting item for the evening will be by the Colombo Brass Ensemble comprising Manilal Weerakoon, Naveen Fernando, Hemanga Samaraweera, Thilak Thanthrige and Janca Rajasingham most of whom are members of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka. They will play the ‘Trumpet Tune and Ayre’ by H.Purcell, Mozart’s ‘Ave Verum’, ‘Canon’ by J. Pachelbel and Rondeau (the theme from Masterpiece Theatre) by J.J. Mouret.

The ‘Revelations’ an all-male voice choral group, will sing ‘All That Hath Life and Breath Praise Ye the Lord’, ‘Steal Away’ and the ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’. Revelations is directed by Sanjeev Jayaratnam. The Soul Sounds will present a repertoire of Gospel music.

Christ Church, Galle Face celebrated 153 years on October 13, 2006. Proceeds of the musical evening are in aid of Church charities. Tickets can be purchased at Christ Church, Galle Face premises as well as the Diocesan Office of the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour, Buller’s Road, Colombo 7 and at the St Paul’s Milagiriya office in Colombo 4.