Music maestro- genius Mahesh emulating legendary Dad Patrick Denipitiya – by Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane

Mahesh Denipitiya possesses phenomenal musical scenery, director. composer, the flamboyant keyboardist, pianist, bandleader of ‘MaFF’ orchestra, needs absolutely no introduction being the son of the imminent music director composer, legendary Patrick Denipitiya. Obviously, the music he had inherited, runs through in his blood. However. Mahesh initially was more interested in computer hardware to become an engineer in that preferred profession. But like a duck taking to water he was predestined to grow to be a musician. A very well known accomplished now, in fact a household name in music having made enormous contributions to the music industry in our country becoming a maestro as a fabulous keyboardist, composer, pianist and a superior in music arrangements, perhaps even superseding the achievements of Father Patrick Denipitiya.

Initially Mahesh had commenced with a guitar as a birthday gift with the blessings of his parents. He was taught how to manage time when he attended recordings at night without disrupting studies when he was allowed to attend to recordings only during weekends. It is relevant to state that Mahesh had met his wife Nandika (An Architect) at the University of Moratuwa where they were both studying and were involved in a Buddhist Bakthi Gee program.Mahesh had entered University of Moratuwa to follow a diploma in Electronics and communication engineering. Though Mahesh a Roman Catholic had no biased religious perceptions. Blessed with two children eldest daughter Dulani studying for a Doctorate in Landscape Architecture in Melbourne while son Eshan is well-accomplished pianist who having studied Music and is now living in Singapore. Both are very gifted in music having inherited creative talents.

Initially, Mahesh had overwhelmed playing for the first-ever reality program ‘Sirasa Super Star’ Season 1 in year 2006. The producers and directors originally wanted him to perform as a solo pianist, but he created a new trend to familiarize a musical setup including violin, piano and percussion, increasing viewer ratings making it the most scrutinized TV program at the time and transforming the pathway of the music industry. Thereafter all other channels followed suite to date in all reality competitions.

Among numerous milestones and triumphs in his musical career to date the latest was the video he was involved in called “Aluth Iskole”. As a part of the team consisting of Mariazelle Goonetilleke, Upul Sannasgala, Shakila Perera, Sagara Lakmal and Kelum Srimal, he designed a musical masterpiece which only could have been done by a music expert- maestro like Mahesh involving seventy-five artistes and musicians more significantly during the period the whole country was in locked down. The endeavor will no doubt go down in the annals of the music as a rare masterwork of a music icon. This video was released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of “World Earth Day” on 22nd April 2020. The Artistes and musicians were made to be united during this global lockdown. The entire music composition, arrangements, mixed was mastered by the music genius Mahesh. Everything was completed via mobile phones for audio and video as all had to comply with the Covid-19 world lockdown period with distancing rule having had to be strictly adhered to. This was an unbelievable video that had to be done with immense patience and precision with his computer hardware expertise which were all within Mahesh’s wide perception.

Mahesh Denipitiya together with so many competent instrumentalists and singers has a sought-after orchestra who organize shows of course not frequently with many popular vocalists. In addition in the recent past, another milestone was hurdled over by maestro Mahesh was when TV Derana (Premium entertainment channel) in partnership with Dell Computers approached him to launch “Dell Studio” a music program series to rerecord the popular songs of many artistes with his mastermind creative music direction. He successfully created this new music concept for four seasons between year 2014 to year 2017 uninterruptedly. A quite a hazardous task but completed triumphantly with his able musical instrumentalists and competent back up singing group in Anushka, Apeksha, Praneeth, Saman Lenin etc. Many present living artistes were invited to sing which they executed to their heart’s content, which all viewers had enjoyed the obvious change with contemporary music instruments. Mahesh triumphed having acted as a genius in this venture. It needs to be emphasized about his adaptation of fusion music for this exercise, Fusion music describes what happens when musical styles are combined together to make something different though fusion music at times is controversial as it tries to combine the outmoded and the new, mixing them up.But he had successfully navigated over it although one would believe it to be a hazardous challenge. This Mahesh strongly believes as it should be done as a practice in evolution of music.

As a full time, Musician, his first assignment was with the popular duo Bathiya N Santush in launching SAREGAMA Recording Studios (prior to this he gained experience at Al Nazaer high-tech studio complex in Kuwait as their Studio Maintenance Engineer). Later touring extensively with BnS, which included a concert at the Sydney Opera House in 2005. During this time, he also contributed to choral music by popularizing original arrangements of Sinhala songs for western choirs. Mahesh has composed music for many films, Awurudu songs, Baila , Budu Guna Geetha, Christmas songs , Deshabhimani, DJ, English, Folk, Live Musical, non-stop, Maw Guna Geetha, Hindi, Live music show, unplugged songs etc. for many vocalists.

Mahesh has a lavish habit of helping many in music compositions for new songs voluntarily mostly for his backup singers in his ‘MaFF” orchestra. It was on 15th May ‘20 released the song “Premaye Sirakariye” sung by Anushka Madubhashini to the YouTube. Then subsequently the song “Pathinawe Devamaniyo” and “Dinak Dinak” sung by Praneeth Shivanka also to the YouTube.
In the above context in the field music Mahesh is very busy as a sought-after musical genius continuing to flourish in our music industry contributing his gigantic talent. May he possess sufficient strength to create more to our music industry. Which was his intention after quitting as a competent hardware computer engineer in the early 1980 decade, having worked as a senior Engineer at DMS electronics.

Sunil Thenabadu.in Brisbane