Rohana brings three decades of songs
Ruwini JAYAWARDANA
Evergreen vocalist of Dase Mal Vile fame, Rohana Siriwardena will
hold a musical concert comprising three decades of songs at the BMICH on
December 28 at 6 p.m. The event is organised as a fund raiser for
Paffrel’s Society’s National fund and is titled Dase Mal Vile.
Visharada Manoj Peries is the music director while Vasantha Rohana
and Bandula Nanayakkarawasam will compere the show. Niranjala Sarojini
Peiris, Damayanthi Jayasuriya, Malkanthi Nandasiri, Nirmala Ranathung
and Sandhya Bulathsinhala will join Siriwardena in the duets. A number
of dance items choreographed by Rajini Selvanayagam will also add colour
to Dese Mal Vile. The event is sponsored by ITN.
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Veteran musician
Rohana Siriwardena |
Siriwardena is a product of Ananda College, Colombo, where he studied
science for his Advanced Levels. However destiny chose to lead him up a
artistic and tuneful path.
He began his exploring his creative streak with the paint brush in
1960 as he won fame as a talented painter when he clinched first place
at a number of art competitions. Under the guidance of Joe Dambulugala,
this versatile artist experimented with oil paint and churned out
creations which won him local as well as international recognition.
His singing and acting skills came to light when he took part in
SLBC’s Lama Pitiya along with reputed artistes like Rupa Indumathi,
Malkanthi Nandasiri, Punsiri Soysa, Nirmala Ranatunga, Yasapala Perera,
Chandrani Gunawardena, Chandrani Manel Kaldera, Chitra Suraweera, Geetha
Kanthi Jayakody and the late Srinath D. Basnayake.
Siriwardena’s portrayal of Nimal in Ananda Sirisena’s Vajira and
Nissanka ayya in Kusum Peries’s Pahan Siluwa became very popular among
the listeners he was soon recognised as an A grade singer.
He acted as producer and director of the Kala Peetaya programme which
was targeted at bring youth talent to the limelight. For around 30 years
he had served radio as a director and a producer of musical programmes.
He has a wide variety of songs to his credit and several of them:
Obey Atha Gena Pera Sandavaka, Deva Mandirae, Seetha Kandurallae, Matath
Horen, Liyu Pem Vadan (with Nanda Malini), Lowe Koi Katath Horen Obey Ma
Indu (with Niranjala Sarojini), Hamu Vewa (with Damayanthi Jayasooriya),
Dese Mal Vile (with Malini Bulathsinhala) Ae Sasali and many more became
instant hits. He bagged the award for best music director at the first
SLBC Presidental Awards Ceremony 1995/96 and the silver award at the
OICI\UNDA Awards ceremony.
He had provided background vocals for films like Sathvani Davasa,
Nilla Soya and Kavuda Hari and had even sung songs for tele creations
like Samu Nogaththa Sugandika, Muthu and Madada Obama Viya. |
