Reminiscing Dr. Lionel Algama: Music Maestro, Gifted, Innovative Musician, with Multiple Talents – By Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane
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Dr. Lionel Algama the renowned and gifted musician, innovator teacher and composer passed away in the wee hours of Sunday at a private hospital after a brief illness. He was 74 years old at the time of his untimely demise on the 18th May 2008.
He was a contemporary of famous musicians Dayananda Gunawardena and Pandit Amaradeva. In addition he was a ‘A’ grade singer, in Hindustani and Bengali as well, examiner, ‘A’ grade instrumentalist in ballet – stage – films – Teledrama – director, conductor, inventor of the original instrument called the ‘Soorthar’ and the sophisticated ‘Sree Veena’ which took him about 15 years to perfect. He made an enthralling demonstration of the ‘Sree Veena’ as far back as 1979 at a musical recital at the Bharathiya Vidya Bhawan (UK Centre), an institute of Indian Culture, London for an exclusive Brahmin music community.
He successfully wrote two theses for his doctorate, Teaching of Music and Development of the Chordophones, East and West in 1978 and in 1979. The final perfected product of the “Sree Veena” was completed only in 1994 after making a lot of research and perseverance.
He is a native of Siyane Korale in the Gampaha District. He had his primary education at Veyangoda Central. His father, a wealthy businessman Jinadasa Perera, ran his own theatrical company mainly for amateurs. It was a routine every evening for artistes to conduct rehearsals at their residence. Having identified his talents and interest in this creative field at the tender age of 20 years in 1955, his father a person of means he sent him to Visva Bharathi University, West Bengal, Shantiniketan to complete a degree in Music.
Having studied Bengali and Hindustani he became an important member of the broadcasting team, of the University as an instrumentalist during the tenure of his course. As he grew in stature as a musician he evolved his own distinctive inimitable style. He experimented with sounds and instruments. Eventually, he invented the ‘Soothar’ which is basically the blending of sounds produced by Sithar, Hawaiian guitar, Sarod, Santoor, Harp and Goothawadyam. Besides his own “Soothar” he has mastered the Sithar, Sarod, Harmonium, Piano, Organ, Mendolin, Tennor, Banjo, Guitar, Esraj, Torshani, Santoor, Violin and Tablano which no other musician in Sri Lanka could challenge.
He was a gifted and the best innovator Sri Lanka had produced, It is unfortunate that his contribution to the field of music had not been the due recognition by the administrators in Aesthetic music, He excelled at classical and jazz concerts and Ballets in New Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay, Benares, Jaipur and Pakistan between the years 1955 1959.Subsequently he performed at Perth and Tasmania in Australia with the Chitrasena Ballet troupe, Broadcasting and T.V. Singapore in 1963. Between 1979 1980 he performed for B.B.C. London, I.T.V. London, Manchester, Birmingham Camden Centre London, W.C.I., Commonwealth Institute of London, Bharathiya Vidya Bhawan (U.K.centre) Institute of Indian Culture London also toured all the Scandinavian countries for musical recitals and concerts.
He recollects his performance at the Bharathiya Vidya Bhawan Institute of Indian Culture, London, a jealously guarded aristocratic preserve of high caste Indian Brahmin. He was incidentally requested to perform before the institute’s board of directors and was allowed to perform only after passing a rehearsal. The performance was for charity. His performance fascinated the audience by keeping them spellbound.
From 1959 to 1989 he worked as a music teacher and he had a long stint at Thurstan College, Colombo. He created the College theme song. President Mahinda Rajapaksa was a pupil of his and during the time of his brief illness had instructed all hospital authorities to give his mentor all necessary care and attention and was very keen about his quick recovery.
In 1975 he was appointed as a Cultural Development Officer in the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. He was also entrusted with the duties as the examiner of music, both theory and practical at the Faculty of Aesthetic Education, University of Kelaniya. He served as a supervisor in music, Ministry of Education in the Republic of Maldives from 1983 to 1984. He was entrusted to design the North Indian Classical music syllabus for the Institute of Asian Culture, University of Windsor, Sunset Avenue, Ontario, Canada.
He has composed and directed music in several films, ballets, dramas produced in Sri Lanka and won awards for the Best Music directions in 1961, 1963, 1966, 1976, 1984, 1996 and 2000. The first of many films in which he made the music score was in the film “Patachara’ He was the winner of the national award for the Best Music Directions and Creations in 1995 and also won the best Teledrama Music Directors Award in 2000.
The musical score of the award winning film “Parasathumal” was also his. He composed music the main theme song sung by Sujatha Attanayaka, “Parawuna malwala suwanda athethe” music of was his composition.
He had composed music for stage plays such as Dayananda Gunawardena’s “Naribena, Romeo and Juliet, Sinahawa, Nuwana Podiya, Tikirimalie, Oedipus, Kusa Pabawathie, and the Horror of Mahahena.”
He also directed music for ballets, Karadiya, Nala Damayanthi, Sakunika, Ginihora, Rankikily, Kinkini Kolama, Capture, Isolation, Making of Men, Through the Desert and Macbeth. In addition he has composed, organized and conducted music for several feature programs in Hindustani, Classical and Light music.
He played his new instrument “Sree Veena” in a solo concert at Elphinstone Theatre, Maradana on 7 January 1996. Professor of Music, University of Delhi Ajit Singh Paintal was the chief guest had this to say.’ he “Sree Veena innovated by Algama had unique sound quality of many Indian instruments like Sarod, Sitar and Swar-Mandal all combined together into one instrument. Algama’s performance is marked with, highly skilled technique as he is fully conversant with several Indian and Western musical instruments. It is a unique experience to listen to Algama playing on Sree Veena Indian Ragas with such depth.
Dr. Lionel Algama celebrated his 70th birthday on 24 March, 2005. To commemorate the golden jubilee of his musical career it was his intention to celebrate the occasion with a solo music recital with the aid of his invention, the Sree Veena. Unfortunately due to the tsunami catastrophe, he was compelled to postpone the event without any hesitation.
He has to be hailed, acclaimed and applauded for innovating “Sree Veena”.It has been established and confirmed that the instrument possess an independent status for a solo concert. As a personal friend of mine he had a lot of regrets that this instrument could not be sold for a substantial amount for him to raise funds to manufacture a more instruments with the aid from competent technicians.
All his attempts proved futile, It is my fervent hope that the President would intervene and help to dispose this sophisticated Sreena Veena. His beloved wife Srima bears ample testimony what amount of his useful time was devoted by him for this magnificent creation that no other musician has ever invented the only one of its kind in the World. Hope that justice would be meted out even after his demise in appreciation of his unique invention.
Late Dr Lionel Algama (Algama koralalage Lionel Kumaradasa Perera) left behind his beloved wife Srima and son Channa domiciled in U.K Daughters, Madara and Anuradha and his in laws, His loss is irreparable not only to them but to many musicians and his numerous pupils It is unlikely that such a music maestro will not be born again..His music memories should be etched in GOLD. .
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