People and Events

• Mega Music Show!
• Forthcoming
• Bonsai in a nutshell
• Award Ceremony
• AGM air Traffic
• A Musical kaleidoscope
• ...In years to come...

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Mega Music Show!

Sivuranga, an evening of musical entertainment featuring the cream of Sri Lanka’s musical world will be held on Saturday July 11 at the Sugathadasa Stadium at 7 pm. The show is organised by the Executive Committee of the Ministry of Defence Seva Vanitha Unit. The funds raised by the event will be used to provide a house and other welfare facilities to the families of deceased Service personnel and those disabled in the war. Look out for more details in next week’s Sunday Times.

Forthcoming

Three sisters Salini, Sambavi and Samalai Kanagasabapathy, disciples of ‘Kalasuri’ Smt. Vasugy Jegatheesvaran (Natya Kala Mandhir - Academy of Fine Arts) will perform their Bharatha Natya Arangetram today at 5.45 p.m. at the Ramakrishna Hall, Wellawatta. They are the children of Mr. & Mrs. V. Kanagasabapathi, and one student of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya.

The Chief Guests are of Mr. & Ms. S. Sivathasan (advisor to the President and Chairman of Official Languages Commission).

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The Bharatha Natya arangetram of Thamiliny and Ilavarasy, daughters of Velanai Veerasingam and Mrs. Annaledchumi Veerasingam will be held on Saturday, June 20, 1998 at the Elphinston Theatre, Maradana. Mr. Yogarajah, Member of Parliament will be the Chief Guest. Thamiliny and Ilavarasy are students of Natya Kalaimani Gnanambigai Vigneswaran staff, school of dance, Vivekananda Society.

Thamiliny Veerasingam is a student of S.R.M. Arts and Science College, India while Ilavarasy Veerasingam is a student of Informatics Institute of Computer Science, Wellawatta.

Bonsai in a nutshell

The Bonsai Club of Sri Lanka is presenting an Exhibition of Bonsai at Sudharshi Hall on June 20 and 21. A lovely collection of Bonsai will be on display. Demonstrations of growing Bonsai also will be held during the Exhibition.

Award Ceremony

The award of certificates to the participants of the Introductory Course in Cognitive Behaviour Theraphy conducted by Sahanaya from February to June 1998, and to the participants of the Course of Training as a Mental Health Instructor conducted from May, 1997 to April, 1998, will be held at the Sahanaya auditorium on Thursday, June 18, 1998 at 4.00 pm.

Sepala Ilangakoon will be the Guest of Honour.

AGM air Traffic

The Annual General Meeting and the Annual get-together of the Air Traffic Engineering Officials Association will be held on June 20 at Royal Oceanic Hotel in Ethukkala, Negombo at 8.30 a.m. All officers are cordially invited and the Chief Guest for the event is the Chairman of Airport and Aviation Pvt. Ltd. Captain Sudarshan Manamperi.

A Musical kaleidoscope

Bishop’s College will present “A Musical Kaleidoscope “ on June 25,26,27,and 28 at the Bishop ‘s College auditorium.The colourful and varied programme, which has been crafted by Musical Director Mary Anne David includes extracts from the musicals, Hollywood favourites, memories of Broadway and a crisp revue from the world of film music juxtaposed with dance forms created by Oosha Saravanamuttu and Yoshita Abeysekera. Costumes by Miriam Gunaratne amd Mithabi Gunawardena will add to the kaleidoscopic effect. The challenging task of co-ordinating this mammoth production is handled by the veteran music teacher of Bishop’ s College, Beatrice Devasagayam. The evening promises to be filled with all the ingredients of “show business.”

...In years to come...

The Young Performers’ Festival was held at the EOE Perera Theatre in the University of Peradeniya on Sunday April 26.

The audience that attended the Young Performers Festival in Kandy recently was treated to a programme of great variety in content and variety in standards and ability and ages too ranged from 6 to 19, the younger children performing particularly well. The forty items comprised modern and classical music played on piano, violin and saxophone, group and solo singing, traditional dancing and recitation.

There were those who gave competent performances, well learnt but without spontaneity or sparkle, others where the occasional slip was quickly forgiven and forgotten because of the evident talent. The modern songs sung by groups , however generally not successful as invariably the singers were drowned by the loud background music.

Lack of rehearsal or practice was obvious in some of the pieces although excuses must be made for nervousness, with only five minutes allowed, time was up just as the singer or musician was finding his or her form. One or two items were frankly not good at all and the audition judges are to be blamed for including them in the programme, which was too long.

The highlights of the evening included Shehan Weeraratne who performed a modern dance which drew spontaneous applause for an entertaining and slick routine. Niranjali Amarasinghe who was on stage three times, showing talent in both singing and piano playing. Also playing the piano with fluidity jand feeling were Champa Ratnatunga and Athulya Ameratunga. Chathurnika Kodithuwakku played the saxophone with great zest, ably accompanied by Geethika Sampath on guitar; and both Dilini Kumarasinghe and Deanna Abeyrathna sang their solo songs beautifully.

Tushyanthini Sivakanesan, Amodika Sumithraarachchi, and Chamali Gamage dancing traditional Tamil and Sinhala dances were superbly customed and held the audience enthralled with their graceful movements. Little Miniruwani Samarakoon gave polished performances in dance and recitation.

It would be unfair to choose a best performance but a special mention must go to Geethi Pamunuwa for a superb rendering of the Sibellius’s Romance Op.24 no 9 and in totally different vein, the Cool Guys for a lively song and dance routine.

Finally, like the gilt on the ginger bread, the guest artist, Vasuki Walker, sang Antonio Caldera’s Sebben Crudele with mature professionalism. Her diction was perfect and her strong, beautiful voice could be heard throughout the auditorium, bringing the evening to a close.

The Kandy Music Society, under its dynamic chairperson Bridget Halpe is to be congratulated for organizing such an event to encourage boys and girls to develop their artistic talents and to introduce them to standing on a stage and performance in front of an audience.

Few of these young people have real talent and will no doubt be entertaining audiences in the years to come.

Clare Leask

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