Teen

A harmonious blend of Thomian voices

CHAMINDA PERERA

The Thomian Boys Choir in its endeavour to unearth the hidden musical potential of Thomian offsprings will mark another milestone through its debut concert “Can to Perpetua” (Sing forever) at the college hall today and tomorrow at 8 p.m.

The Choir comprising students of different faiths will showcase their outstanding talents in the entire range of Western music and bring a fascinating complexity not seen in most Catholic schools in Sri Lanka.

These 70 students trained in different music traditions from Christian hymns, jazz to pop music are in different age groups and their contribution to make the concert is tremendous.

They have experience in playing one or more instruments and have shown exceptional abilities in various

 musical contests in the college which is full of singing talents and has created many reputed musicians, composers to her credit.

Their performance characterised by the predominance of vocal over instrumental music, is a mixture of voices ranging from altono, suprano to bass which is very low but strong.

Vinodh Senadeera responsible for fine tuning these boys synchronising their voices to the perpetual eternity has laid no restriction on any student willing to take part in the choir.

Most students in the choir also perform in the Thomian Boys Choir formed last year to quell the students’ thirst for music. For Jurinesz Shdrach, the concert is not a novel experience as he is involved in the Chapel choir as choir leader.

“The College has only one choir, the chapel choir to which only Christians are taken in and we want to give every student who want to sing a chance,” says Jurinesz

Amila Gunasena who is conducting the Boys Choir says this is his premiere performance.

“I have been involved in the contest called Rally Round the College Flag. But this is the first time I am conducting the choir and this is a totally a new experience. I am a bit nervous,” he says.

“There are lot of students here who have immense potential which can be explored with little training,” Gunasena says. “Every one should remember studies are also important but you can’t end up being a bookworm. We should get involved in something extra,” Gunasena says. “We have students of various ages here and they come for practices regularly. You don’t need to run behind anyone,” he says.

Choir Secretary Shehan Mendis says he has been taking part in a lot of musical contests from small days. “We

 just pick out singers for concerts from here and there but we did not have a formal choir except for the chapel choir.”

“This year we started the Thomian Boys Choir which is a regular choir where students of all religions and ages sing together,” he says.

We start practising before the school starts and it does not affect our studies much. This choir is really good. We have all parts - suprano to bass - I am singing bass in the choir. We sing every type of music with different communities. All participants are excellent. They are in the choir because of their excellence in music.”

Harith de Mel says the Thomian Choir is very traditional and we cant sing pop songs there but here we can sign anything, and can also dance here.

De Mel who conducted the Thomian Chamber Orchestra has composed the college song in total harmony. “It is the first time I did that and it is the first time it’s being done ever.”

“I don’t study music but play in the orchestra. That’s how I learnt how to compose songs. I like it a lot. Bonding with young kids is a great opportunity. It is a bit hard to train them. They don’t know how to sing they just shout but all in all we have to give an equal opportunity to all. I am sure there will be a good concert. Everyone tries to do their best for the school.”

Milindra Kulugammana says he is not very well trained and is a fresher. “We have a very talented choir this time. I think our base line is fairly strong, specially for a school choir.”

Pictures by Sudath Nishantha

Ginimaleyen Wedikewata at D.S. Senanayake College

The annual campfire drama festival, Ginimaleyen Wedikewata, organised by the 60th Colombo Scout troop of D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo will be held on October 24 from 5 p.m. at the school.

Hundred and fifty scouts from the school and 250 scouts and guides from 25 invited schools will participate. It is the biggest campfive drama festival in Colombo District and is being organised for the fifth time.

The aim of organising this is to bring out the children’s aesthetic abilities and improve their understanding with each other.

Under the guidance of Asoka Senani Hewage, Principal, Gamini Gunasekara, Scout Leader, Hasaru Rajapakse, Patrol Leaders Committee Chairman, Prabash Walisundara, Project Organiser, Havith Perera, Pubudu Lakshan, Pivithuru Kodikara and Shasitha Hettiarachchi (Patrol Leaders) are organising this festival.

Artists will judge this competition. A challenge trophy will be awarded to the winning troop.

A thrilling voyage with teen writer

Lishan Perera, a 13-year-old student from Colombo International School has created a wave in the English literature circles in Sri Lanka with the release of three suspense novels within just eight months.

All stories by Lishan unravel in fast paced cities in USA such as Los Angeles and New York. Lishan says: “To support the plots I choose, I need to think out of Sri Lanka, it has to be large, bustling cities, full of crime and violence.”

Talking about the intriguing plots he chose for his stories Lishan says that he believes that the key element to any novel is a good plot.

“I get ideas from a lot of sources. I know what types of plots will keep the readers transfixed and develop the stories on those lines using my imagination.” He derives inspiration from authors like R.L. Stine, James Patterson, Jeffery Archer, Jonathan Kellerman, Chris Ryan, Anthony Horowitz and Sidney Sheldon and this has helped him to stick with novels on crime/horror/thriller genre.

This enthusiastic teen has been writing since he was six years and had taken into serious writing only last year. Lishan says his parents encouraged him to read from a very young age and this had helped him to commence his career in writing in his early teens.

Lishan’s short story titled In the Hands of Fate was selected by the Daily News to be published in an anthology and this was out of 400 entries. Another of Lishan’s short stories titled Lost won the CIS creative writing competition in 2006.

Lishan who is working on another NYPD type novel is keen on pursuing a career in aircraft or aviation. Nevertheless he says: “I love writing so much, that something deep within tells me that I’ll keep at it. And since I have the talent, I don’t want to simply bury it and let it rust. Therefore, no matter where my career takes me, I’ll definitely keep on writing books in my spare time.”

The Killer was Lishan’s first novel and it’s a story about a ruthless killer who plans to take his revenge after months of waiting and careful planning. He is going to make the detectives of the LA Police Force pay for something they did over a year ago, something that was in their line of duty.

The Killer is determined that no one can and will stop him, and will do whatever it takes to get his own way. The only way the LA Police Force can get this killer is with the help of Joe Harper, a 14-year-old teenager who is gifted with a sixth sense.

With the success of his first novel Lishan proceeded to write Time to Kill. This novel which is over 300 pages in spins around the thrilling life a NYPD cop who is hurled to fight against not one but two cold blooded killers who are causing mayhem and chaos in the city.

Trapped between Bo Johnson and The Predator, Homicide Detective Matt Masters is battling against time to bring these cold blooded, lethal killers to justice. Time to Die is truly a gripping novel that keeps the reader ‘surfing’ through the pages until the mystery is unravelled.

Pure Evil was Lishan’s third novel that was released this August. Pure Evil is a twisted tale of horror concerning two highly competitive high school girls in a fictional town called Woodbridge. Two girls who would do anything to get what they want and initiate a stalking session by a crazy psychopath.

It’s a fast moving action packed thriller full of strange twists and turns that keeps the reader turning the pages equally fast. The reader will navigate his way through a web of intrigue and suspense until the whole plot is unveiled and the criminal is brought to justice.