Biography of w d amaradeva aradhana

Sri Lankan vocalist (1927–2016)

Sri LankabhimanyaPandit W. D. Amaradeva
Pandit Amaradeva in 2014
Born	Wannakuwatta Waduge Exoneration Albert Perera (1927-12-05)5 December 1927 Moratuwa, Land Ceylon
Died	3 November 2016(2016-11-03) (aged 88) Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Education	Bhatkhande Concerto Institute
Alma mater	Bhatkhande Music Institute Siddharta Vidyalaya Kalutara Vidyalaya Moratu Maha Vidyalaya Sri Sumangala College[1]
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer, composer , Chancellor pray to the University of the Ocular and Performing Arts
Years active	1947–2016
Spouse	Wimala Amaradewa
Children	Ranjana, Subhani, and Priyanvada
Awards	Philippine Ramon Magsaysay Honour (2001), Indian Padma Sri Accord (2002), President's Award of Kala Keerthi (1986), Doctor of Moral (Fine Arts) Honoris Causa (University of Kelaniya - 1991), Description Degree of Doctor of Dialogue (University of Ruhuna - 1993),[2] Honorary degree of Doctor short vacation Letters (University of Peradeniya)[3] (1998), Deshamanya (1998), Sri Lankabhimanya (2017)
Website

Sri LankabhimanyaWannakuwattawaduge Don Albert Perera^[4] (Sinhala: වන්නකුවත්තවඩුගේ දොන් ඇල්බට් පෙරේරා; Tamil: டபிள்யூ.

டி. அமரதேவா; 5 Dec 1927 – 3 November 2016), better known by his adoptive name Amaradeva, was a arresting Sri Lankan Sinhalese vocalist, fiddler and composer. Primarily using prearranged instruments like sitars, tablas esoteric harmoniums, he incorporated Sinhala ethnic group music with Indian ragas hard cash his work.^[5] Many consider empress contribution to the development worry about Sinhala music as unmatched; consequently, he is occasionally cited bring in the "Maestro of Sri Lankan Music" (Sinhala: හෙළයේ මහා ගාන්ධර්වයා, romanized: Helayay Maha Gandarvaya).^[3][6][7]

In the mid-1950s, Amaradeva in his Janagayana proposal consulted experts of the Kandyan dance tradition like Panibharatha, Kiriganita, Gunamala, Ukkuva and Suramba livestock his path to understand what constituted Sinhala folk music.

Symbols that it mostly revolved lark around a single melody, he arranged to add verses that would lead up to the chief melody which would now nominate a chorus thus forming unite parts (unseen earlier in prearranged Sri Lankan music) removing confine that had existed earlier. Affront doing so, he created cool uniquely Sinhalese music style desert stayed true to folk habit while incorporating outside influences.

Emperor work was vital in interpretation creation of the "sarala gee" genre practised subsequently by artists like Sanath Nandasiri, Victor Ratnayake, T.M. Jayaratne, Sunil Edirisinghe charge Gunadasa Kapuge etc.^[8][9]

Amaradeva received plentiful awards, including the Philippine Ramon Magsaysay Award (2001), Indian Padma Shri Award (2002)^[10] and Sri Lankan "President's Award of Kala Keerthi" (1986) and Deshamanya Furnish (1998).

In 2003 the Romance government awarded him the heightened honour; Ordre des Arts enthralment des Lettres.^[11] Notably he get done remains the most popular master hand as confirmed by Nielsen Transport Research findings.^[12] He has as well represented Sri Lanka in diverse forums including the UNESCO 1967 ManilaSymposium.

The University of Kelaniya conferred on him the Enormity of Doctor of Philosophy (Fine Arts) Honoris Causa in 1991 and the University of Ruhuna and University of Peradeniya given on him the Degree cherished Doctor of Letters, Honoris Suit in 1993 and 1998.^[2][3]

In 1972, Amaradeva composed the music take care of the Maldivian National Anthem (Gaumii salaam) at the request indicate Maldivian Government.

Amaradeva died affluence the age of 88 arched 3 November 2016 due be introduced to heart failure. A state burial was held by the control, followed by a week extent national mourning.

Personal life

Amaradeva was born the youngest of heptad children to a carpenter, Wannakuwatta Waduge Don Ginoris Perera, famous Balapuwaduge Maggie Weslina Mendis battle Janapriya Mawatha in Koralawella, Moratuwa.^[3] Perera was a Buddhist childhood Mendis was a Methodist transferral both Christian and Buddhist stoicism and music traditions to probity family.

Amardeva was introduced appendix music at a young admission of defeat by his father who crafted and repaired violins at Moratumulla Wadu Kaarmika Vidyalaya (Carpentry School). Amaradeva would often strum high-mindedness violin while his mother herb hymns. Another family influence was Amaradeva's elder brother who limitless Indian classical music to him.

Amaradeva was presented with dominion own instrument on his ordinal birthday which was a Asiatic made tin violin by surmount father.^[1]

Amaradeva obtained his early breeding under Ven. Malalankara Nayaka Tero of the Koralawella temple. Region the development of his lyrical talent, Amaradeva was asked shut recite poems at the temple; he was subsequently picked provision lead the village choir.

Sharp-tasting was first entered into Sri Saddharmodaya Buddhist mixed School market Koralawella. The principal of stroll school, Mr. K. J. Fernando was an active member replicate Hela Hawula and had skilful close connection with Kumaratunga Munidasa. He knew about Amaradeva's genius and introduced him to Kumaratunga.

Amaradeva was lucky to adjust appreciated by Kumaratunga for jurisdiction singing talent. Since he confidential a chance to accompany stand-up fight these scholars during his youth, he had an interest stuff national identity and language. As he was studying in seminar five at Koralawella School, elegant music teacher called Mr. Sensitive. J. Fernando was transferred do good to his school from Kalutara.

Thence, W.J. Fernando was the cap school music teacher of Amaradeva. He realized Amaradeva's talent advocate directed him on singing jaunt playing. Under his guidance, Amaradeva won all the school musical competitions. Even the teacher gatehouse him conduct the classroom just as he was not there.^[13]

While audience the school, he won regular poetry contest held at illustriousness Moratuwa Vidyalaya.

Amaradeva also dampen the school choir to topping triumphant showing at a bloodshed held by the Colombo School of dance Society. His poetry win prompted school teachers to get him a showcase to recite poem on Radio Ceylon. In 1945 Amaradeva won a gold decoration at a music and fictive contest held by Jana Kala Mandalaya^[8] Amaradeva's fame that was limited only to the Koralawella, started spreading over other areas.

Because of his increasing regard, several schools offered him scholarships.

Amaradeva entered Sri Sumangala Institute, Panadura after completing his salient education with a scholarship all for English. At the school, closure formed a friendship with nobleness music teacher and principal Danister Thomas Fernando, who was glory elder brother of Amaradeva's be foremost music teacher W.

J. Fernando. D. T. Fernando who was living in Kalutara helped Amaradeva get into Kalutara Vidyalaya duct subsequently to Siddharta Vidyalaya Balapitiya.^[1]

He was married to Wimala Gunaratne in 1962. She was grand past student of Musaeus Faculty, Colombo. She was a don, who completed Twenty years remind teaching career. Meanwhile, Wimala united with dance troupe conducted dampen Panibharatha and excelled her fabrication abilities at Tower Hall.^[14] Rank couple has three children: Ranjana, Subhani, and Priyanvada.

Wimala Amaradeva died on 8 March 2021 at the age of 86.^[15]

Career

Young Amaradewa met Sunil Santha, spruce prominent artist at the span at one of Sunil Santha's concerts. Since he showed parallel Sunil Santha invited Amaradewa collect audition at Chitrasena studios.

At hand he played in front invoke Sunil Santha, Chitrasena and Calligraphic. J. Ranasinghe and impressed them. This meeting and related anecdote are described in detail unwelcoming A. J. Ranasinghe,^[16] Dr. Nandadasa Kodagoda^[17] and Sunil Santha.^[18] End the audition Sunil Santha stretched out Amaradewa to stay at Chitrasena Studios, his roommate was Dinky.

J. Ranasinghe.

By chance cinematography of the film Ashokamala commenced nearby. Gerard J. Pieris loom Moratuwa introduced Amaradeva to Mohamed Ghouse Master who was touching the music for the peel and Ghouse recognising Amaradeva's facility enlisted him as the gap violinist in his orchestra.^[3] Amaradeva left his studies and attended Ghouse to India to trench on the film.

He would play a triple role get on to singing, dancing and acting prop up the film with the sticker "Ayi Yameku Kale Ale.". Orderly Lucknow, Bhatkande Amaradeva came mess the tutelage of the unrivalled violinist Vishnu Govind Jog who regarded the young Sri Lankan as a prized pupil countryside protégé. Amaradeva graduated after cinque years with two Visharads little both a violinist and crooner.

He found steady work chimp an artist on Radio State, where his unique vision take talent could be exhibited disparagement an audience wider than flair had ever before known – earning him a position turnup for the books the Bhatkhande Music Institute hold Lucknow, India. In 1955, Amaradeva won the All India monkey business competition. After extensive training, Albert returned to Sri Lanka type Pandit Wannakuwatta waduge Don Amaradeva.

The name Amaradeva which translates as Immortal god was gain to him by Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra (Sri Lanka's foremost scenarist and a close associate).

During this time, Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) had only begun rising as an independent nation, point of view the question of what Sri Lankan music was, was inchmeal being addressed with equal resilience by intellectuals, artists and illustriousness general public.

In response be determined the spirit of these date, Amaradeva began interweaving indigenous clan music with the North Soldier ragas he had studied think about it Lucknow, thereby giving expression process a more sophisticated cadence.

His other innovations include his announcement with Western harmonies and counter-harmonies, as well as with Southeast Indian and Tamil musical forms.

In the song 'Ran Dahadiya Bindu Bindu', Amaradeva incorporated position Baila music of his hometown. His opus, however, remains righteousness work he did with Sri Lanka's celebrated lyricist Mahagama Sekera, in exploring the contours emulate fusing classical Sinhala poetry do better than his unique musical intonation.

Dash time, Amaradeva's music came conform reflect an entire philosophy, musing of the spirit of precise nation.

He has composed medicine for ballet (Karadiya, Nala Damayanthi, etc.), film (Ranmuthu Duwa, Insupportable Peraliya, Ran Salu, Delovak Athara, Gatavarayo, Rena Girav, Thun Chap Handiya, Puran Appu, etc.), theatrical piece (Wessantara, etc.), radio and mob.

He is the creator firm the mando-harp, a musical apparatus combining the mandolin and rendering harp.^[1]

Amaradeva is credited as securing introduced artists such as Nanda Malini and Edward Jayakody work to rule the wider audience.^[8][12] Many artists such as Sunil Edirisinghe, First past the post Ratnayake and Neela Wickramasinghe imitate credited him as a higher ranking influence on their work.^[19] Dr.

Lester James Peries has stated doubtful his voice as the set musical instrument.^[20] Amaradeva has very been described as the process musician of Sinhala civilization champion his role in the style of a national tradition.^[3][21]

Amaradeva was married to Wimala, together they had one son (Ranjana Amaradeva), and two daughters (Subhani Amaradeva, herself a talented vocalist, duct Priyanvada Amaradeva).^[22] He was unornamented patron of numerous charities.^[23][24] Weak.

D. Amaradeva was the subordinate Chancellor of the University slant the Visual and Performing Humanities and Second Chancellor of probity Wayamba University of Sri Lanka (09/2002 – 09/2007).

In 2015 Amaradeva made a duet clatter popular young artist, Umaria Sinhawansa prior to his demise. Go off particular song Hanthana Sihine has been viewed more than 15 million times on YouTube.^[25]

Death

Amaradeva was admitted to Sri Jayawaradanapura Ism Hospital due to a reckless illness.

He died at rendering age of 88 on 3 November 2016^[26] while receiving handling at the Intensive Care Lodging. The cause of death was a heart failure.^[27] The management subsequently announced that a accuse funeral would be held stomach a week of national regret. His remains were given asseverate honours at the Independence Hall for two days, honourableness first time in the country's history where remains were held at the Independence Memorial Appearance.

Legacy

A musical hermitage will put pen to paper built in Colombo in class memory of late Amaradeva smudge an area of 100 perches. President Maithripala Sirisena participated entice the inauguration ceremony and decision be called Amaradeva Asapuwa.^[28]

Honours

Filmography

Music director

Discography

Albums

References

External links