SOSL Outreach program:

Taking western classical music to the countryside

The Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka (SOSL), with the sponsorship of the Norwegian Embassy, has just embarked on a special project - one that aims to take western classical music to areas outside Colombo. Although western music is taught in schools all over the island, very few schoolchildren outside of Colombo have ever seen or heard a symphony orchestra perform live. They have no practical knowledge of the instruments, works and composers they learn about.

The initial step of the SOSL Outreach Program will take the form of a series of lecture concerts, where children will be introduced to the instruments that make up the string, woodwind, brass and percussion sections of an orchestra.

Students, Teachers and Parents are invited, free of charge, to attend these concerts.

The first of these concerts took place in Galle on 24th April 2010. The Karapitiya Medical Faculty hall was packed with over 750 students from grades 7-11, all studying western music in the Galle and Matara districts.

Three ensembles - one woodwind, one string and one brass - took the stage in turn, performing works typical for each combination. The players then gave the audience an introduction to each instrument, demonstrating range, tone, and method of sound production.

The children also learned the role each instrument plays in an orchestral setting. Many of the children had never seen or heard a Tuba, or bassoon, or double bass.

The audience was extremely appreciative of not only the music but also the educational experience that was made available to them.

The information was conveyed both in English and Sinhala. Though the instruments themselves are the focus of these concerts, the audience was given details of the various types and styles of music from different historical periods.

With this in mind, the SOSL regularly offers free tickets to school children from Colombo and the outstation areas to attend their Colombo concerts.

The next outreach program will be in Kurunegala in June, and the SOSL plans to take the program to other districts in the following months.