Pradeepanjalee

bids farewell with concert:

Sitarist Pradeep Ratnayake's Pradeepanjalee XV - A Farewell Concert' will be held at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on August 13 at 7 p.m.. It will be the last concert of the Pradeepanjalee series for some time, as Pradeep will soon leave for the USA as a Fulbright scholar to study Jazz on the sitar at Columbia University, New York.

The Farewell Concert is expected to showcase the styles that have made Ratnayake's music path-breaking as well: with Indian Classical Raga in which he received his initial training.

He will play his fusion music which combines the Sri Lankan, Indian and Western styles; he will invoke Jazz and Blues strains on the strings of the sitar and he will experiment with Western classical music by playing Beethoven and Mozart as well.

In general, audiences here will be able to get the excitement of his music which made Columbia select him after listening to the recorded versions of it.

Most of the leading musicians in Sri Lanka who were very much a part of his success at creating this brand of music will take the stage on Pradeepanjalee XV:

Harsha Markalanda, Ravibandu Vidyapati, Lakshman Joseph de Saram, Wijeratne Ranatunge, Alston Joachim, Karunaratne Bandara, Chandralal Amarakoon and Eshantha Pieris.

The concert will be sponsored by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. - PR

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Mathakayae Rendunu Gee Prasangaya in Boralesgamuwa

Mathakayae Rendunu Gee Prasangaya, a musical show comprising songs of the past will be held at the Boralesgamuwa Corporative building on August 10 at 6.18 p.m.

The celebrated Susara musical troupe will provide music. Entrance is free.

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Tarzan Saha Divi Minissu to be launched

Prabhath Mirihagalle's Sinhala translation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Tarzan and the Leopard Men' entitled Tarzan Saha Divi Minissu will be launched at Dayawansa Jayakody Book exhibition Hall, Colombo 10 on August 5 at 10 a.m.

Mirihagalle is the author of several other translations including Pompei Nuwara Duk Geethaya, Polova Meda Lokaya, Angaharu Lokaye Kumarikavak, Dangayange Hapankam and Nidan Dupathata Goya Pan Pasinduvo.

Tarzan Saha Divi Minissu is published by Dayawansa Jayakody Book Publishers, Colombo 10. The book will be available for sale at a concessionary rate on the launching day.

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An evening of vivacious rhythm and rhyme:

Mathra

The Kandyan Dancing Division of Lyceum International School, Nugegoda along with its branch schools at Wattala, Panadura, Gampaha and Ratnapura will hold a Concert 'Mathra 2008' with the participation of 250 students' under the supervision of 25 dancing teachers.

The event will take place at the National Youth Centre, Maharagamaon August 8 at 6.15 p.m.

The concert will be held under the supervision of Rasika Kothalawala, Dancing Master of Nugegoda Lyceum International School and under the patronage of Mohan Lal Grero, the Founder and the Managing Director of Lyceum International Schools and Kumari Grero, the Coordinating Principal of Lyceum International Schools.

'Mathra' will comprise traditional Kandyan dance items as well as modern dance items and it will be a memorable experience for all.

The proceeds of this show will be utilised to open Bank Accounts to 163 children of imprisoned citizens of Sri Lanka. This scheme was organised by the Mohan Lal Grero Foundation as a Social Project.

The organising committee wishes to extend its invitation to everyone who wishes to contribute to this scheme to help a needy child to have a good education and a bright future, to come and watch Mathra.

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Book launch today

Jump Cut Ekkake Cinemawata Aakasayen Mahapolawata, a book by Sanjeewa Pushpakumara, will be launched at the Mahawali Centre, Colombo, today (August 5) at 3 p.m.

Professor Tudor Weerasinghe will head the event while Prasanna Vithanage and Pradeep Jayaratne will make speeches. South Korean director Kim Ki duk's film '3-Iron' will also be screened at the event.

The book brings several genres in the global cinema industry to the Lankan readers and discusses anthological, independent, experimental, guerilla, artistic and many more genres of cinematic creations.

Pushpakumara is a graduate of the University of Sri Jayawardanapura. He has a diploma in cinematography from the National Film Corporation.

He also took part in the 'Asian Young Filmmakers Forum' (AYFF) which was held in South Korea last year.

He launched a book on cinema in 2006 and had also directed two short films named Sparshaya (Touch) and Piyambanna Piyapath (Wings to Fly).

-RJ