An ‘Evening of Piano Music with Deepani’ will come alive at the Auditorium of the British School at 7.00 p.m. on Friday, August 15.

The Canadian born Sri Lankan pianist Deepani de Alwis will be the star attraction, this being the first time she is giving a recital in Sri Lanka. Her usual excuse was that her visits to Sri Lanka were her holidays during which she wanted to relax, not work. This time, however, she had been talked into giving a recital in Sri Lanka in support of the charity 'Educate a Child'. For the benefit of those who are more inclined to vocal rather than keyboard music, two of Sri Lanka's most talented singers, Baritone Rohan de Lanerolle and Tenor Srimanthaka Senanayake will make an appearance as guest artistes at this concert.

Deepani de Alwis

Deepani was born to Sri Lankan parents in Edmonton, Alberta and accompanied them when they returned to Sri Lanka. She received her primary and secondary education at Ladies College, Colombo, the Colombo International School, and St. George's English School in Rome, Italy, where her father, Dr. Kingsley de Alwis, served with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization for many years.

Deepani commenced her musical studies at the tender age of four under the tutelage of her mother, Mrs. Ranjani de Alwis, who is a piano teacher. She subsequently studied piano under the late Erin Abeysundera while she was in Sri Lanka and the Russian Pianist, Leon Harshanin during her stay in Rome.

Deepani has obtained a number of professional qualifications, including: Fellow of the Trinity College of Music (FTCL), London; Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (LRSM), London; and Licentiate of the Trinity College of Music (LTCL), London.

Deepani has had wide experience in performing, including professional concerts as soloist, accompanist and in Chamber groups. She made her professional debut as Soloist with the Glasgow Chamber Orchestra, playing Schumann's popular Piano Concerto. Since then she has given numerous public concerts in Rome and other Italian cities, including a live concert and interview on RAI Radio Televisione Italiana. . Deepani's concerts included performances of the classical and romantic composers (Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Liszt, et al.) and modern composers (Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Messian, Ravel, Gershwin, et al.). She has live Video Recordings of two concerts in Rome, Italy. She gave frequent recitals at the Rome Baptist Church in Italy to raise money for various church projects.

Deepani has attended Public Master Classes with many eminent pianists including; John Lill, Pascal Roge, Fou T'song, Steven Smith, Ekatarina Miruna, Roger Vignoles, Dominique Merlet, David Lively, Geoffrey Parsons, Pierce Lane, and Madame Shishkow.

In the course of her career, Deepani has received several awards and prizes, including the TG More Scholarship for post-graduate studies, the Bach Prize for Harpsichord, Piano and Organ (Class A)(Glasgow), John D. Miles Lieder Prize Piano-Voice Duo, the Bach Prize for Harpsichord, Piano and Organ (Class B)(Glasgow), Second Prize in the Sixth Tchaikovsky Piano Competition of Sri Lanka. She has also participated and received favourable mention in competitions for the Laurence Glover Memorial Prize, Ramsey Calder Debussy Prize, and the Wayne Marshall Jazz Workshop. In addition to playing classical pieces Deepani also enjoys playing modern jazz and does oil painting as a hobby.

From here, Deepani goes to London where she gives a solo performance at the Regent Hall in Oxford Street in aid of the charity, "Medical Aid to Sri Lanka".