Award winning Sri Lankan vocalist and performer Rukshan Mark is ready to go where no Sri Lankan singer, has gone before.
On September 4 at the Bishop's College Auditorium between 7 and 10 p.m, he will unveil a concert that is set to be innovative and pioneering in more ways than one.
The concert will feature high-end electronic instruments that will reproduce drum beats and R&B loops you hear only on audio CDs live, in addition to acoustic drums and guitars. What's more, Rukshan will be backed by Voice Print who struck silver and bronze at the World Choir Games held in China just last month.
"We're trying to make a difference in the local music experience by having a concert performed completely live. Whenever you hear of a concert by modern day artists, you immediately think of backing tracks with maybe a couple of back up vocalists.
We discussed this with other artists, and they all agree that it's difficult to play live music. Some of the beats we play on the computer and R&B loops cannot really be recreated on stage. So we handpicked some people - one from Dubai, and brought down the relevant instruments for this purpose," says Rukshan.
According to Rukshan, the keyboards to be used at this concert will be the exact same models that King of Pop Michael Jackson was going to use for his final curtain call This Is It. It doesn't get any more high-tech than that.
"Yesterday we purchased a drum machine. We'll have the exact same sounds, the same tone you hear on the CD, but we are also mixing an acoustic feel into it. You can say it's 90% what you hear on the CD, and 10% live," explains Rukshan.
A five piece band will be backing the vocalists.
Two music stations, one Roland Keyboard station, one Korg station, which has another three keyboards that come with it, two acoustic drum sets, an electric drum set, and electric distortion used for padding will be among the technical highlights of the show.
The bassist, says Rukshan, will play traditional bass guitar and also a keyboard bass - something you only see at international concerts. "The highlight is the sound system - one of the biggest systems in Sri Lanka - a digital console," he says.
Voice Print, in addition to doing backup vocals, will also be doing a guest performance.
Entrance will be almost free - whoever has bought the Brown Eyes CD, gets in free, and those who haven't can get them at the entrance.
Rukshan Mark has released four albums so far, and is a successful music producer who has produced 88 songs for various artistes, last year alone. He has won four international awards and has worked with Boney M and is currently working on a project with Celine Dion's celebrated songwriter Alan Roy Scott.
Wildlife photography exhibition
'Kids on safari' - a joint exhibition of wildlife photographs by young photographers Ashvini Jayatilake and Dmitri Goonewardena was held last weekend at the Harold Peiris Gallery of the Lionel Wendt.
Award ceremony
The award ceremony of the 8th batch of students of the Gamini Dissanayake Institute of Technology and Vocational Studies, Nuwara Eliya will be held on September 2 at the Grand Hotel, Nuwara Eliya at 3 p.m.
Chairman of the Commercial Bank of Ceylon, Lion Mahendra Amarasuriya will be the Chief Guest.
Around 150 students from the Nuwara Eliya district will receive diploma certificates in courses in computer application, information technology, English language, electronics, Hotel housekeeping and Front office management.
Sacerdotal Silver Jubilee celebration
The sacerdotal Silver Jubilee celebration of the priestly ordination of Rev. Fr. Travis Jude Gabriel, Rector of St Peter's College was held recently. Rev. Fr. Gabriel is the school's eleventh Rector. He joined St Peter's College in the early 80's and served as the Rector of the Primary School and as Vice Rector.
Picture shows Rev Fr. Travis Gabriel lighting the oil lamp at the felicitation ceremony.
Sworn in as Justice of Peace
Tivanka Ekaratne, Attorney-at-Law, was sworn in as Justice of Peace (All Island) recently before High Court Judge Bandula Atapattu.
Mr. Ekaratne possesses a Masters degree in Law from the University of Wales in the field of International Trade Law. He also has a Diploma in Intellectual Property Law. Currently, he is doing his PhD studies in the field of Customs Law. He is the Assistant Secretary of the Colombo Law Society and an Executive Committee member of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. He practises in the field of Customs, Civil, Commercial and Criminal Law.
Trans Asia Hotels PLC
commemorates 25 years
The celebrations of the 25th Anniversary of Trans Asia Hotels PLC which kicked off with a fun-filled sports extravaganza amongst the city's five star hotels, was followed by religious ceremonies and culminated with the Long Service award ceremony at the hotel's Kings Court Ballroom.
Chairman of John Keells Holdings Susantha Ratnayake, Roshan Gurusinghe, Sunil Pieris, and Shafeek Wahab - all of whom have been closely associated with the hotel were present. Twenty six staff members who have been with the hotel from the inception completed 25 years, 125 who completed 20 years and others who notched up 15, 10 and 5 years of service were also awarded special gifts and valuable tokens of appreciation. General Manager Neroy Marso in his speech made special mention to of the spouses who have given their unstinted support and understanding over the years.
Human Resources Director Ms.Wasanthi Stephen gave an inspiring vote of thanks and the evening concluded with the opening of a sumptuous dinner buffet by Executive Chef Wasantha Peiris and Pastry Chef Jagath Wijesinghe and their team, followed by music and dancing.
Office bearers
The following were elected to the All Ceylon Women's Buddhist Congress Executive Committee for 2010/2011.
President; Mrs. Anoja Wijesundera
Deputy President: Mrs. Ranee Chandraratne
Vice Presidents: Mrs. Indrani Devendra; Mrs. Lakshmi Perera; Mrs. Malini Perera; Mrs. Savitri Peiris
Secretary: Mrs. Chitra Thilakasiri
Asst. Secretaries: Mrs. Jeevani Sugunadasa
Mrs. Chandrani Gunawardena
Treasurer: Mrs. Clodagh Fernando
Deputy Treasurer: Miss. Thusitha Senaratne
Press and Publicity: Dr.(Mrs) Hema Goonatilaka
Committee members:Mrs. Shantha Abeysekera, Mrs. Anoma Akmeemana, Mrs. Chandra Atukorala, Mrs. Ajantha Dissanayake, Mrs. Leela Dharmasiriwardena,Mrs. Hazel de Livera , Mrs. Indra de Silva, Mrs. Doreen de Silva, Dr.(Mrs) Karuna de Silva, Mrs. D.B. Ekanayeka, Mrs. Monica Fernando, Mrs. Nelumini Fernando,Mrs. Hema Gunasekera, Mrs. Ranee Bandara Jayaweera, Mrs. Piyaseeli Mahatantila, Mrs. Manel A. Perera, Mrs. Anoma Punchihewa, Mrs. Indrani Senanayake, Mrs. Rani Weerasekera, Mrs. Padmini Witharana.
Kingswood Group of 40’s to meet
The 39th meeting of the Group of the 40's of Kingswood College, Kandy will be held on Saturday, September 4 at 9.30 a.m at the residence of Eric Kulugammana, No. 23/9A, Mulgampola Road, Kandy.
All old boys of that era are welcome to attend.
Lankan doc bestowed highest recognition by American Society of Anesthesiologists
Dr J.A. Jeevendra (Jeeva)Martyn, M.D., F.R.C.A. F.C.C.M., has been honoured in the United States with the 2010 Excellence in Research Award presented by the American Society of Anesthesiologists in recognition of his exceptional career of scientific inquiry and endeavour.
Dr. Martyn is Director of the Clinical and Biochemical Pharmacology Laboratory of the Department of Anesthesia at Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children, Anesthetist-in-Chief at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston, and Professor of Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School.
Born in Sri Lanka, Dr Martyn received his medical degree from the University of Colombo and then moved to the United States. He completed his residency in Anesthesiology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University-Presbyterian Hospital, and trained at the Radcliffe Infirmary and the University of Oxford, England.
This award which is the highest recognition that can be bestowed by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, acknowledges research of an original, sustained, clinically relevant, and lasting nature.
"Dr. Martyn is an outstanding anesthetist cum intensivist who has profoundly influenced the science and practice of anesthesiology and critical care medicine. In his role as clinical investigator, he has revolutionized the care of burn patients, a discipline in intensive care medicine that is not practiced extensively by anesthesiologists. He is a world authority on disease-induced up-regulation and down-regulation of the acetylcholine receptor in muscle and its interaction with agonist and antagonist drugs.
“He has contributed most of what we know about the molecular mechanisms of critical illness-induced insulin resistance, with the therapeutic goal of correcting the muscle wasting and associated disuse-induced muscle atrophy.
“Finally, he is the world's leading authority on the clinical therapeutics of critically ill burned patients," said an article published on his award in the journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. |
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