Sarasaviya awards Archives

SARATH DASSANAYAKE MOST PROLIFIC MUSICIAN PRODUCED IN SRI LANKA REMINISCED – By Sunil Thenabadu Legendary musician Sarath Dassanayake one of the pioneer music composers in Sinhalese films who was instrumental in revolutionizing our film music not copying the Indian dominated Hindi and Tamil melodies. was born on 13th August 1942 as Deepa Milton Sarath Dassanayake to parents, father Don Dharmapala Dassanayake a businessman and mother Malalage Podinona Peiris a teacher, was the second in a family of six siblings, four brothers and two sisters in Katukurunda,Moratuwa. His initial education was at Anuruddha Vidyalaya ,Nawalapitiya where his mother taught. Later has had his education in a number of schools v.i.z., Nawandama Vidyalaya Je Ela,Shiksadana Vidyalaya,Laksapathi,Hunumullaa Central College and finally at Horana Buddhist school now called Don Pedrick Maha Vidyalaya Horana. Though not a studious student had passed the senior school examination in year 1957,In fact he himself had been surprised when he ...

The roots of music in Sri Lanka has five primary influences ancient folk NADEEKA GURUGE GUITARIST,COMPOSER, VOCALIST, AWARD WINNING PHENOMINAL MUSIC DIRECTOR AT THE HELM OF FAME -by SunilThenabadu The roots of music in Sri Lanka has the primary influences in ancient folk rituals. Hinduism religious traditions, Buddhist religious customs, the heritage of European colonisation, the antique and commercial of neighboring Indian philosophy precisely Kollywood and Bollywood cinema. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Sri Lanka in the sixteenth century with their traditional music along with Africans to spread their own style of music called ‘baila”.The influence of both European and African traditions served to further diversify the musical roots of the contemporary Sri Lanka music. As opposed to European classical concert music, folk music was the music of the common people. Folk music was derived from the German word “volk”, which essentially means “ the people”. Folk music ...