Premasiri Khemadasa
Encyclopedia
Dr.Premasiri Khemadasa (January 25, 1937 – October 24, 2008) also known as "Khemadasa Master" is one of the most influential composers in Sri Lankan music. Exploring the various styles of music around the world Khemadasa endeavored to develop a unique style of music. He combined Sinhala folk tunes, Hindustani music, Western music and many other streams of music in his compositions while adapting them to fit contemporary music.
and attended St. John's College Panadura
and Sri Sumangala College
. As a teenager, he became a gifted flautist.
Khemadasa was asked to come to the Radio Ceylon for an interview on the day he was scheduled to take his Senior School Certificate examination. He finished the examination much ahead of time and travelled to the audition. He passed the audition and became a member of Radio Ceylon.
and Nidhanaya
. Critics praised his film scores and he was honorally dubbed "Khemadasa master." Khemadasa's signature in film music is molded by the use of elements from Classical Western music and other sources to heighten the emotion suggested by the picture. Some of his compositions are influenced by Western composers of opera such as Giuseppe Verdi and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Lately Premasiri Khemadasa has given his contribution to films such as Agnidahaya and very recently to Ammavarune, the last film by Lester James Peiris who has announced his retirement.
Other scores written by the master for films such as Hansawilak,Thunweniyamaya, Paradige, Yasa Isuru widened his acclaim in the field of cinema. He has also composed music for films produced outside Sri Lanka (Thousand Flowers).
Dr. Khemadasa's contribution to teledramas also brought outstanding masterpieces to the public. His collaboration with director Jayantha Chandrasiri has turned out remarkable products whereas the themes he created for Chandrasiri's television series Dandubasnamanaya have shown unprecedented power of mesmerization. A repertoire of scores written for teledramas including Chandrasiri's Weda hamine, Sathara denek senpathiyo, Akala sandhya, Dharmasena Pathiraja's Gangulen egodata, Ella langa walawwa, Pura sakmana and Bandula Vithanage's Asalwesiyo bestowed the public with unforgettable musical experiences. Also, he has contributed to the teledrama Sadisi tharanaya by Devinda koongahage, which is most probably his last contribution for a teledrama.
He also contributed to stage dramas such as Jayantha Chandrasiri's Mora, Ath, and Dharmasiri Bandaranayake's Makarakshaya & Dhawala bheeshana.
Furthermore, he has composed symphonies like Muhuda, Mage kale mavni and Sinhala Avurudda. His cantata named Pirinivan Mangalya, probably the only Buddhist cantata ever composed, was based on the passing away of the Lord Buddha and it was played at his funeral by the students of the Khemadasa Foundation.
The presence of operatic and harmonic vocals in his music is explained by his vast knowledge of opera
and harmony
. In his lifetime he made many experiments with techniques of singing and playing, which include the use of asymmetric patterns of beats, revolutionary harmonies and novel techniques of playing musical instruments such as the sitar.
Khemadasa is the only known Sri Lankan musician who practised and created opera. He has a large group of students many of whom were derived from rural milieus and trained for performing in his operas. His famous operas include Manasawila, Doramandalawa and Sondura Varnadasi. Recently he created the opera, Agni (opera)
about early civilization. His operas, being written in Sinhalese, form what can be recognized as Sinhalese opera. Khemadasa and his pupils have conducted shows in several countries.
After a layoff following a kidney transplant he returned to the field of music, even in his 70s, trying to secure the future of Sri Lankan music. At the time of the maestro's demise on 24 October 2008, he was 71 years old.
Early life
Khemadasa grew up in Talpitiya, WadduwaWadduwa
Wadduwa is a town situated in the western coast of Sri Lanka about 33km south of Colombo.It spans from within the 30-36 km area along the Galle Road and sideways for the land side too.It is a very popular tourist attraction in Sri Lanka. It is also famous for its rich cultivation of coconut palms...
and attended St. John's College Panadura
St. John's College Panadura
St John’s College is a prominent school in Panadura, Sri Lanka, that was founded in 1876. The school has a proud history of more than 100 years and celebrated the 125th anniversary during the year 2000. Even though there were only few girls and boys at the beginning, the number has increased up to...
and Sri Sumangala College
Sri Sumangala College
Sri Sumangala College, in Panadura, Sri Lanka, was founded on March 3, 1909 at in memory of Ven.Weligama Sri Sumangala Thero, who played an important role in Sri Lankan Buddhism. It is one of the oldest schools in the country. It is a national school, i.e., it is controlled by the central...
. As a teenager, he became a gifted flautist.
Khemadasa was asked to come to the Radio Ceylon for an interview on the day he was scheduled to take his Senior School Certificate examination. He finished the examination much ahead of time and travelled to the audition. He passed the audition and became a member of Radio Ceylon.
As a composer
Khemadasa's debut as a film composer came with Sirisena Wimalaweera's Roddie Kella. With his score for Bambaru Ewith he introduced a style of music unacquainted to Sri Lankan cinema. He then began collaborating with acclaimed director Lester James Peries handling the music for films like Golu HadawathaGolu Hadawatha
Golu Hadawatha was a popular 1969 Sinhalese language romance film directed by maestro Lester James Peiris. The film stars Wickrema Bogoda and Anula Karunathilake in the lead roles. Based on a novel by Karunasena Jayalath, its screenplay was written by Regi Siriwardena. Music was by Premasiri...
and Nidhanaya
Nidhanaya
Nidhanaya is a 1972 Sinhalese language film directed by Lester James Peries, starring Gamini Fonseka and Malini Fonseka. Movie is based on a short story written by G.B.Senanayake in one of his short story collection known as "The Revenge". It revolves around a murder which is committed for the...
. Critics praised his film scores and he was honorally dubbed "Khemadasa master." Khemadasa's signature in film music is molded by the use of elements from Classical Western music and other sources to heighten the emotion suggested by the picture. Some of his compositions are influenced by Western composers of opera such as Giuseppe Verdi and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Lately Premasiri Khemadasa has given his contribution to films such as Agnidahaya and very recently to Ammavarune, the last film by Lester James Peiris who has announced his retirement.
Other scores written by the master for films such as Hansawilak,Thunweniyamaya, Paradige, Yasa Isuru widened his acclaim in the field of cinema. He has also composed music for films produced outside Sri Lanka (Thousand Flowers).
Dr. Khemadasa's contribution to teledramas also brought outstanding masterpieces to the public. His collaboration with director Jayantha Chandrasiri has turned out remarkable products whereas the themes he created for Chandrasiri's television series Dandubasnamanaya have shown unprecedented power of mesmerization. A repertoire of scores written for teledramas including Chandrasiri's Weda hamine, Sathara denek senpathiyo, Akala sandhya, Dharmasena Pathiraja's Gangulen egodata, Ella langa walawwa, Pura sakmana and Bandula Vithanage's Asalwesiyo bestowed the public with unforgettable musical experiences. Also, he has contributed to the teledrama Sadisi tharanaya by Devinda koongahage, which is most probably his last contribution for a teledrama.
He also contributed to stage dramas such as Jayantha Chandrasiri's Mora, Ath, and Dharmasiri Bandaranayake's Makarakshaya & Dhawala bheeshana.
Furthermore, he has composed symphonies like Muhuda, Mage kale mavni and Sinhala Avurudda. His cantata named Pirinivan Mangalya, probably the only Buddhist cantata ever composed, was based on the passing away of the Lord Buddha and it was played at his funeral by the students of the Khemadasa Foundation.
The presence of operatic and harmonic vocals in his music is explained by his vast knowledge of opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
. In his lifetime he made many experiments with techniques of singing and playing, which include the use of asymmetric patterns of beats, revolutionary harmonies and novel techniques of playing musical instruments such as the sitar.
Khemadasa is the only known Sri Lankan musician who practised and created opera. He has a large group of students many of whom were derived from rural milieus and trained for performing in his operas. His famous operas include Manasawila, Doramandalawa and Sondura Varnadasi. Recently he created the opera, Agni (opera)
Agni (opera)
Agni is an opera in Sinhalese composed by Premasiri Khemadasa with a libretto by Eric Illayapparachchi. It premiered on 26 May 2007 at the Lionel Wendt Theater in Colombo, Sri Lanka.-Composition:...
about early civilization. His operas, being written in Sinhalese, form what can be recognized as Sinhalese opera. Khemadasa and his pupils have conducted shows in several countries.
After a layoff following a kidney transplant he returned to the field of music, even in his 70s, trying to secure the future of Sri Lankan music. At the time of the maestro's demise on 24 October 2008, he was 71 years old.
Music director
| Year | Film | Other notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Sapatha Soya | first solo direction |
| 1966 | Sanasuma Kothanada? | |
| Sithala Wathura | ||
| Kapatikama | one song (Latha's "Kurulu Ran") and background music | |
| 1967 | Rana Giraw | |
| Manamalayo | ||
| 1968 | Golu Hadawatha Golu Hadawatha Golu Hadawatha was a popular 1969 Sinhalese language romance film directed by maestro Lester James Peiris. The film stars Wickrema Bogoda and Anula Karunathilake in the lead roles. Based on a novel by Karunasena Jayalath, its screenplay was written by Regi Siriwardena. Music was by Premasiri... |
won Sarasavi and Radio Ceylon Magazine awards |
| Vanasara | ||
| Bicycle Hora | ||
| 1970 | Narilatha | won Sarasavi award |
| 1971 | Seeye Nottuwa | |
| 1972 | Nidhanaya Nidhanaya Nidhanaya is a 1972 Sinhalese language film directed by Lester James Peries, starring Gamini Fonseka and Malini Fonseka. Movie is based on a short story written by G.B.Senanayake in one of his short story collection known as "The Revenge". It revolves around a murder which is committed for the... |
|
| 1976 | Janaka Saha Manhu | |
| 1978 | Bambaru Awith | |
| 1980 | Hansa Wilak | |
| 1982 | Kaliyugaya | |
| 1983 | Yuganthaya | won OCIC and Sarasavi awards |
| 1987 | Maldeniye Simion | won OCIC award |
| 1990 | Sandakada Pahana | won Sarasavi award |
| Siri Medura | won Sarasavi, OCIC and Swarna Sankha awards | |
| 1993 | Meeharaka | won Swarna Sankha award |
| 1994 | Lokuduwa | |
| 1999 | Julietge Bhoomikava | won OCIC and President’s award |
| 2002 | Agnidahaya | |
| Mathu Yam Dawasa | ||
| 2005 | Guerilla Marketing | |
| 2006 | Ammawarune | last film of Lester James Peries Lester James Peries Sri Lankabhimanya Lester James Peries is an internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter, and film producer. An active filmmaker since 1949, Peries has been involved in over 28 films, including shorts and documentaries... |
External links
- Premasiri Khemadasa Agni Opera
- A man on fire
- Comprehensive biography of Khemadasa
- The immortal note that captures the heart beat of the nation
- Sondura Warnadaasi - an Opera by Khemadasa
- Listen to compositions by Dr. Khemadasa at Sinhala Jukebox
- Reminiscence of his real-life sonata
- Sonic canvas of Premasiri Khemadasa
- Premasiri Khemadasa in Sinhala
- Premasiri Khemadasa Master in Sri lanka