I began studying the violin under Mrs. Eileen Prins in 1964, at the age of 24. Because I was an adult student, I was highly motivated, and she adapted her teaching methods to suit me. When I started learning the violin, my modest ambition was to play a hymn in my church, during the offertory.
Little did I dream that I would one day be a violin teacher myself, thanks to Mrs. Prins’ patience in teaching me!
Not only did I learn violin technique from her, I also learnt the “ropes of violin teaching”, which became useful to me when I became a violin teacher myself, much later on. Whenever I complained of difficulty in a certain technique, she would calmly say, “It will come”, and it did come, sooner or later.
So when my pupils complain of difficulties in learning the violin, I say, “It will come”, and surely enough it does, to the student’s delight. In more challenging situations, with advanced violin technique, she would say, “Never say die”, and this too I would tell my students to reassure them.
Mrs. Prins would encourage me by saying, “That was good”, even when I thought it was not that good. This was a positive approach, which I adopted with my students. It gives confidence to beginners.
Mrs. Prins also taught me the importance of warming up before a performance or an examination. I have passed this on to my students. She took great pride in the exam success of her students, and in my own students’ success too.
Mrs. Prins had had a hard personal life, and she had the onerous task of bringing up three sons, each very different from the other. But she went on batting cheerfully. She would always find something funny to say to make us laugh. I would wonder how she could maintain her jovial spirit all the time. Even when the joke was not that funny, still she would laugh, and everyone would join in the laughter.
When teaching me, she did not make me a crammer for exams. She taught me a lot of technique-building works, concertos by Vivaldi and Bach. I thoroughly enjoyed playing these works.
The great moment was when Mrs. Prins came to Jaffna to play for my wedding. She performed a solo during the signing of the register. Needless to say, she took the place by storm. My daughter, in turn, paid a touching tribute to Mrs. Prins by playing the violin at her funeral. The significance of this was known only to my family.
My daughter was grateful to Mrs. Prins for offering to accommodate her in her home when she was studying for her London Bsc. at the Royal Institute. The peaceful home of Mrs. Prins helped my daughter forge ahead in her studies, and now she is teaching at a prestigious school in Colombo.
Mrs. Prins’ influence on me was so strong that a casual acquaintance of mine remarked: “How come you speak English like a Burgher!”
When Mrs. Prins was leader of the Symphony Orchestra of Ceylon (later Colombo), I was auditioned by the late Professor Earle de Fonseka. I was selected to play in the second violin section. I gained more experience that way. After that, I started teaching the violin as a private teacher, and began sending pupils for exams, with great success.
For all this I thank Mrs. Prins. She is now in a land that knows no sorrow, no pain. We thank God for her noble and fruitful life among us.
Isaac T. Kulendran
A memorial service for Mrs. Eileen Prins will be held at the St. Mary's Church, Lauries Road, Bambalapitiya, on Thursday, July 28, at 6 p.m.
Punchi Amma was a brilliant scholar, true Buddhist, and loving aunt
Chitra Wickramasuriya
Professor Chitra Wickramasuriya was the daughter of the late Mudaliyar N. A. Wickramasuriya and the late Lucy Wickramasuriya of Matara. She was my mother’s – the late Lasathanani’s – sister. I was the eldest nephew. To her, we were always her little nephews and nieces, and even after I became bald due to age, she would not accept that we had grown up. That was our “Punchi Amma.”
Prof. Wickramasuriya passed away five years ago, in June 2006. Memories of her will remain with us as long as we live. A brilliant scholar, true Buddhist, and compassionate human being, she will be remembered by all who came in contact with her.
She received a scholarship as the best female student to enter the university, in 1936. She obtained an Honours Degree in English, and extended her postgraduate studies in a number of related fields, making her a fully fledged teacher, principal, lecturer and professor. She studied Ceylon History, Education and Linguistics at Deccan College, in Poona, India, and obtained a Master of Arts degree from the University of London, to mention just a few of her qualifications.
She began her professional career as a teacher. Her dedication to education and the efficiency and ease with which she mingled with students and staff was evident from the admiration of her past pupils at Sangamitta Balika Vidyala Galle, where she was the Principal. She continued the good work when she came to Gothami Balika Vidyalaya, in Colombo.
She joined the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, as a lecturer, in 1951. In 1961, she joined the University of Colombo, and in 1969 she became Professor of English. In 1997, she was conferred Professor Emeritus status in appreciation of her service to the university. For her lifetime contribution to English education in Sri Lanka, the Open University conferred on her a Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa, in 2000.
Living as spinsters, she and her sister, the late Yasoda, made their house a venue for regular Dhamma discussions, under the guidance of eminent Buddhist monks, and along with their relations and friends. She was a regular devotee at the Mallikarama Temple in Ratmalana.
Her nieces and nephews will not forget her long hugs and kisses, which would continue until we pulled ourselves out of her embrace.
Punchi Amma, we will remember you for your kindness, and dedication to whatever you did. You were an exemplary character in our family circle. May you attain Nibbana.
Sarath Jayatilaka
A sterling boss – smart, sharp, strict, and fiercely loyal to his staff
D. C. Wijesekera
I was sorry to learn of the passing away of Mr. D. C. Wijesekera, in early May this year. He was known to his contemporaries as Chandi. I had my professional training under him at Associated Management Services Limited, and later at Coopers and Lybrand, of which he was the Senior Partner.
He was strict and the staff of the firm feared him. He did not mince words, and did not hesitate to call a spade a spade. At the same time, he had sterling qualities. It was his way to always stand by his staff.
At one time, a director of a client company was giving me a hard time. This person was a close friend of Mr. Wijesekera. I thought my time with the firm was over as a result of this problem. However, Mr. Wijesekera acted in a way that surprised me.
He had a brief meeting with me to ascertain the facts and then immediately discontinued the work engagement with that client. Whenever I would have to meet a difficult client, he would accompany me and literally stand by me at the meeting. He was known to keep staff on the payroll when they were unable to report to work for long periods because of sickness or other adversities.
My office was at a different location from where Mr. Wijesekera operated. Every now and then he would call and ask me to come over to his office. On such occasions, we would chat and he would ask about my welfare, more than about my work. He was very encouraging, and he brought out the best in me.
I met him later on in life way when I served for a brief period in a subsidiary of David Peiris Motor Company, where Mr. Wijesekera was on the board of directors. This time our relationship was different, and we were able to laugh and joke together.
Mr. Wijesekera was the son of Dr. P. de S. Wijesekera, an eminent Kandy obstetrician and gynaecologist. He studied at Royal College, Colombo 7, and graduated from the University of Ceylon with a degree in Mathematics. He later qualified as a Chartered Accountant in England. He served as President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Sri Lanka.
He started his career at Shell Company, and later went into management consulting. He was chairman of the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE), and was credited with turning the CWE around from a loss-making concern to a profitable one. He also served for many years on the board of directors of Air Lanka, as the airline was then known.
Mr. Wijesekera was a respected management consultant, in Sri Lanka and internationally. He undertook many consulting assignments for international agencies, such as the World Bank. He also started the first computer bureau in Sri Lanka. He was smart in appearance, had a sharp intellect, and was a very articulate person.
He leaves behind his wife Loretta and his two sons.
I will remember him with deep respect and much gratitude.
Sir, thank you and good-bye.
May flights of angels wing you to your rest.
Rohan
Never a dull moment with the delightful, lovable JB
John Barry Muller
As I stood in the lengthening purple shadows, while my beloved friend John Barry Muller was being laid to his eternal rest, at Kanaththa, Borella, I was aware of a million memories passing through my mind.
Many of the grieving knew Barry in the different roles he played in society. Some knew him as a journalist, others as a writer, and many as a consultant and an intellectual. Barry was all of these to me, and a lot more.
I knew Barry as a crusader for our unemployed youth. He designed the National Farm Bureau of Sri Lanka, which was pulled out from under his feet by scheming bureaucrats and politicians for their own benefit.
I stood beside Barry, the street fighter, the day his journalistic career ended. He had to fight tooth and nail to save his hard-earned money.
He was always heading to that Room at the Top. To get up there, he would often take a different set of stairs, rather than the same one. Life was a rat race for Barry. His trust in mankind always knocked him back to square one.
His most wonderful trait was that the harder he fell, the faster he got up. He would give his last rupee to anyone with a sad story, and then trudge miles, but with no regrets. He loved good living, rich food, but was content with what life offered him.
You were never bored in Barry’s company. You could bring up any subject with him. He was like a mobile encyclopedia. He was brimful with ideas, and had a great sense of humour. He was also widely travelled.
He could dine with kings, but never lost the common touch. One day he would be on Cloud No. 9, watching the world go by as he sipped red wine with a three-course meal; the next day he would be enjoying a vadai and sambol in a little café down Hospital Street – in tie, coat, with briefcase and the works. That was dear old J.B.
And then our paths separated; we went our different ways.
The Barry I met years later was greying at the temples, more mature in his thinking, quite different to the young guy in blue jeans and red-checked shirt outside the Bandarawela Railway Station, watching the trains go by. But to the end he was young at heart.
He told me that he would walk up to St. Peter on both legs, although doctors had threatened to amputate his legs because of his diabetes.
Barry was the kind of guy who loved having the last laugh. Wherever he went, he made friends. You could count his enemies on the fingers of one hand.
Judging from the crowd at his funeral, JB’s wealth was clearly in the friends he had, not in his wallet. His friends in Uva, where he spent his young days, may not be aware that JB is no more. If all his friends had turned up, the funeral parlour would have been packed.
Lowering Barry to his eternal rest was a sad moment for all who had gathered there. JB’s life had many plus points and only a few minus points. I am sure a thousand angels are singing his praises as he ambles up to the Pearly Gates.
Adios, Amigo. Adios, my Friend.
Upali R. Karunaratne
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