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To commemorate Schumann Bicentennial:
Priyeshni Peiris Perera on piano with the SOSL
To commemorate Schumann Bicentennial pianist Dr. Priyeshni Peiris
Perera will give a performance at the "Young Soloists' Concert" with the
Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka on August 7th, 2010 at the Ladies
College hall.
Priyeshni Peiris Perera recently graduated with a Doctor of Musical
Arts degree (DMA) in Piano Pedagogy (Teaching) from Texas Tech
University (U.S.A), a Master of Music (M.M) from the University of
Tennessee (U.S.A) and a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Music and Business
Administration (U.S.A), all with highest honours. Dr. Perera was the
recipient of prestigious fellowships such as the AT &T Chancellor's
Fellowship and the President Whitfield Horn Fellowship.
While completing post-graduate degrees in the U.S., Dr. Perera held
teaching appointments for piano (group and individual) at the above
universities. She has given recitals throughout the United States, South
Korea and in Sri Lanka where she was invited by the US Embassy of Sri
Lanka to perform a special guest recital in Colombo.
In addition, she has performed at concerts and competitions organized
by the Music Teachers National Association (USA).
Her current research interests include biomechanics and efficient
piano techniques for optimal performance combined with studies in
emotion in music.
Her research was selected to be presented at prestigious conferences
such as the New Zealand Music Teacher's conference (Music '09) and the
National Conference of Keyboard Pedagogy (Chicago, USA).
Dr. Perera studied with internationally-renowned performers such as
Dr. David Northington and Dr. Lora Deahl for piano performance and Dr.
William Westney & Dr. Carla Cash for Pedagogy.
Dr. Perera is a member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA,
USA) and a Fellow of the Royal Schools of Music (FRSM, U.K) in piano
performance. She completed the LTCL and Amus TCL diplomas while studying
in Sri Lanka. Her teachers were Vilma Varnakulasinghe, Joy Ferdinando
and Shiyamani de Silva. Dr. Perera is currently a lecturer at the
department of Western Music at the University of Visual and Performing
Arts, Colombo.
[ Robert Schumann]
Robert Schumann, one of the greatest
composers of Romantic music, was born June 8, 1810 in Germany. Despite
his early death at age 46, he left a legacy of music that earned him the
label "the quintessential Romantic".
He is best remembered for his piano music,
songs and some symphonic and chamber works. Schumann made significant
contributions to all the musical genres of his day and adopted a free
'poetic' style for his works. His dual interest in music and literature
led him to develop a compositional style deeply indebted to literary
models. He had a powerful impact on succeeding generations of European
composers.
Schumann's intention was to pursue a career
as a virtuoso pianist, having been assured by his teacher, Friedrich
Wieck that he could become the finest pianist in Europe after only a few
years of study with him. However, when a hand injury prevented those
hopes from being realized, he decided to focus his musical energies on
composition.
During his brief career, he worked as a
piano professor at the Leipzig Conservatory under Mendelssohn, published
most of his critical writings in the 'Die Neue Zeitschrift für Musik'
("The New Journal for Music"), and also later as a conductor. Schumann
greatly admired Beethoven and used direct quotations from his music.
After a life long battle with his teacher;
Wieck, Schumann married his daughter - Clara Wieck, who was the first
woman virtuoso able to break into and succeed in the male-dominated
world of the 19th century solo performance. She premiered several of
Schumann's works including the piano concerto in A minor, op.54.
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