Archives

November 2, 2002 was like any other day in Batticaloa. But to all those classical music lovers it marked and unforgettable day in their music calendar. It was the day that Dr. Nirmala Kumari, a Senior Lecturer, Institute of Aesthetic Studies, University of Kelaniya and Sri Lanka's leading Sitarist treated the music lovers of Batticaloa at Swami Vipulananda Music College, Eastern University to 2 hours of exquisite vocal and classical music.

Dr. Nirmala Kumari studied for 11 years, 1973 to 1984 in India and obtained her doctorate in music from the Benares Hindu University and Bhatkhande College of Music, Lucknow. Her Nipun Visharada was under Ustad Eliyas Khan, Professor K. C. Gangarade, Naveed Chandra Pant and Prem Singh Kinot. She has toured widely in Sri Lanka, India and Europe too. She is also a Super Grade Artist in both the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and the Rupavahini and has many awards to her credit; Best Instrumentalist 1980, India, the National Award Sri Lanka 1996 and the Presidential award 1998 on International Womens Day.

She started her performance with a devotional song to the Hindu Goddess Sarasvati. And as her sweet melodious voice filled the spacious hall of the Music College one felt that Goddess Sarasvati could not have been paid a better tribute. This was followed by a classical vocal recital Rag Maduvanthi. As one of the audience commented her voice was like the clear waters. The highlight of the whole performance Rag Yaman followed next keeping the audience in rapture as it displayed total mastery changing tempo and keeping perfect harmony with her tabla player, Visharada Shantha Senarath Yapa from the SLBC and her students Nishanthi Gunaratne and Anuradha Prabasweri on Sitar and Nimal Hapuarachchi on Tamboora.

A loud spontaneous burst of applause followed this performance. A Sitar Orchestral composition by Dr. Nirmala Kumari based on Rag dhwani came next ending with a light classical tune Rag Mishra Khamag. As someone remarked at the end of this performance one did not realise how fast the hours went. Much praise and tributes followed from notable persons in the audience both from the music field and academics from the Eastern University. What is of great significance here is that this was the first time that a public performance of this nature took place at the Music College.

Thanks to the conducive environment brought about by the prevailing ceasefire between the government forces and the LTTE and the untiring personal commitment by both the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Dr. Ammankili Murugadas and the Principal, Music College Mr. Padmalingam to make this event a reality, that the music lovers were able to witness which the Principal so aptly termed as, One Big Genius.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager