Neo Symphony lived up to its name with creativity at a high
The Lionel Wendt theatre on June 20 was alive with anticipation for the much awaited show – “Neo Symphony” which amply delivered on its promise of ‘new sound’. From the moment the lights dimmed and the slight sounds of instruments filled the air, we knew we were in for a journey as the screens filled with images carefully curated to highlight the feel of each piece creating a new emotional landscape.
Tilanka Jayamanne, the mastermind behind the show opened the night with ‘Nightmare’, a composition that set the tone for the rest of the evening with its haunting melody. It was followed by their own version of ‘Viva La Vida’, in which Lydia Goonetilleke Jayamanne displayed her talent through her violin solo. Another one of Tilanka’s originals ‘Final March’ which he described as the journey of transition from turmoil to peace, presented against a background of waves that transitioned to shooting stars, even without the ‘luxury of lyrics’, captured that essence, finishing with the single sound of Tilanka’s flute, symbolizing the tranquil ending.
Electrifying: Tilanka Jayamanne with his fellow musicians at Neo Symphony. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Young soloists: Melissa Pereira (above) and (right) Daniella Perera
Power-packed performance: The foursome
Quite in contrast was the alluring hit ‘Havana’, arranged by Tilanka. Shobi Perera also put down his bass guitar to pick up the double bass, which he continued to play for the rest of the show.
When it was time for the vocalists to showcase their talents, Dillon Manuel showed his range through his raspy rendition of ‘Kiss from a Rose’. ‘Downtown’ was the next of Tilanka’s originals to follow, an upbeat piece that featured the composer on three instruments- the flute, saxophone and synth.
Shihan Harith then lulled the audience with his performance of ‘About Time’, another original with a delicate melody. In complete contrast, followed a new kind of music, featuring popular DJ “The Lunatics’, for the first time on the Lionel Wendt stage. Kisalist successfully fused orchestral instruments into his contemporary dance music set, and the flashing lights and mist created the right mood.
Following the interval, ‘Spider Fire’, a power-packed original was performed by the four musicians who created it: Denver Barnes on the bass, Pradeep John on the guitar and Daniel Prins on the cajon. “You are” another original with lyrics by Chrishantha De Silva and orchestration by Tilanka, who played the piano was sung with much emotion by Melissa Pereira.
The theme from the popular Pixar movie “Up” saw Sidath Nalapperuma on the oboe and Sulara Ferdinand on the violin, followed by another Tilanka composition, “Runt” featuring the getaberaya played by Gayanath Dahanayake, who had the important role of providing percussion for the orchestra.
Daniella Perera shone on stage with her performance of ‘Fireworks’ while Sheaam Dean performed a soulful rendition of ‘Stand by Me’, joined by the choir Camerati. Then came Tilanka’s original, “Storm” featuring Sulara on the violin, which transported listeners into the heart of a raging storm. The final piece was a full circle moment for Tilanka as “Dragonfly” was the first piece of music he had composed, wrapping up the concert on a high.
In addition to the musicians mentioned, Amila Abeysekara, Jayana Gunasekara and Sanduni Vishaka must be commended for skilfully balancing the various dynamics through the night. The energy of the audience was palpable in the endless applause and cheers the performers received. Compere Dino Corera providing witty commentary, generated much laughter from the audience.
All in all, Neo Symphony was a captivating night. Tilanka Jayamanne whose presence on stage from start to finish can only be described as electric, brought to life the boundless possibilities of creative expression.
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