Arts
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of strings in memory of Orlantha Born
and raised in the United States, Orlantha pursued her passion for
music through education, after which she dedicated her life to teaching
the violin to children of all backgrounds. She was dubbed a Los
Angeles “Hometown Hero” by the local media in 2004 in
recognition of her efforts to promote violin music. “Heartstrings”, an Island Christmas Tsunami Memorial Concert will be held on December 21 at the Bishop’s College Auditorium, Colombo in memory of Orlantha and her love for music. This memorial concert will focus on the theme of making music in schools available to children of all socio- economic backgrounds. During the concert, a series of narrations that will tell the story of the “sound” made by each string will be read, after each of which a child or a special guest will perform musical selections. The proceeds of this event will go towards the construction of the Performing Arts Centre, to replace the Strings by the Sea building, which was destroyed in the tsunami. Sr. Anton Ambrose and Mr. Cezhan Ambrose plan to continue Orlantha’s work through the expansion of Strings by the Sea in Los Angeles and Sri Lanka. Christmas
joy There will be seven readings consisting of Christmas poems by Longfellow and T.S. Eliot among others, and the recitative “And there were Shepherds” by Walford Davies. The concluding lesson will be St. John’s unfolding of the great mystery of the incarnation. Carols sung by the choir will be interspersed with popular carols for choir and congregation. The service will conclude with the recessional hymn “O Come All Ye Faithful” with the blessing of the crib and the offering of gifts by the children.The pipe organ will be in use for the 83rd year. Scot’s
Kirk The choir of the Merry-An Singers with David Ratnanayagam at the organ will be in attendance and Rev. John Purves will be the Minister.The service will be followed by a choral finale for the listening pleasure of those who wish to stay on. Little
but full of life It is then that I notice something - it is hard to look away from Tissa De Alwis’s work, not least because each one seems so vibrantly alive. All of his creations possess such intricate detail and character that as you stare at them, you would not be surprised to find a model’s mouth tilt up in a smile or a white warhorse take a purposeful step forward. Born in 1956 in Pita Kotte, Tissa is a very active 50-year-old.. A potter, ceramicist and modeller, Tissa is a genuinely talented artist. He attributes much of his current skill to simple experience. “I first got my hands on clay or to be more accurate, plasticine, in nursery school when I was about four or five years old,” he says adding that that moment marked what was to be the beginning of a lifelong passion. Later in his life, he became an assistant modeller and then modeller for the Ceylon Ceramic Corporation. At that time, the corporation was flourishing, in large part due to its ownership of numerous kilns. “I loved working there,” says Tissa, explaining how he would use his spare time to fashion his own clay models and then ‘fire’ them in the kiln. It was when a superior saw his work that the corporation was inspired to have a separate ‘studio pottery’ section. Tissa and many other employees got together to create 350 pieces, which sold out in two weeks, and after that, there was no looking back. After a while he chose to become a freelancer, a choice that comes with its own share of struggles and triumphs. Among the highs have been his exhibitions in places as varied as Amsterdam, Japan, Australia and Sri Lanka itself; followed by both local and international acclaim. Another obvious pleasure has been his complete creative autonomy. Tissa has, over the years, developed quite a reputation over his military models, which are known for their realistic detail. Miniature sets of soldiers, airplanes and other models made of plasticine grace his studio. Many serious artists would think twice before using plasticine, normally the plaything of toddlers, but Tissa explains that his fascination lies with how one can “mix colours here and now, like with painting, rather than having to do it in stages, and also the fact that you can use plasticine to juxtapose two or more objects to make a new picture”. Tissa says that he derives much of his knowledge from extensive reading and film viewing, but adds that his military models are in no way meant to be a “glorification of war” and that they are instead, quite the opposite. Using his models, he reduces these weapons of destruction and terror to absurd toys – small, simple things that give pleasure. Strongly opposed to exorbitant “defence” budgets, Tissa not only believes, like many others, that the money could be better spent, but also chooses to express that in his art. Recently, in an exhibition titled “The Curry Side of the Moon” held at the Barefoot café, Tissa along with Muhammed Cader, Ieuan Weinman, Kerry Hughes and Monty Colombage displayed his work. Tissa’s exhibits comprised not only some of his somewhat eccentric mobiles (dinosaurs made with odds and ends), but also photographs of his models. Tissa is also deeply involved in another passion – teaching. For the last year he has been working with the students of The British School in Colombo, having moved from being an ‘artist in residence’ to being an actual art teacher for the juniors. “I love working with children. I like to give them ideas and then let them explore,” he says. He believes in the potential children possess, claiming that on their first time, many children make clay models that rival and perhaps, better his. A musical
treat for young ones "The child is a special person," says Somalatha Subasinghe, veteran playwright and founder of Lanka Children's and Youth Theatre Organization (LCYTO). The LCYTO founded in 1981, is the only professional institution that produces plays for the younger generation with this aim in mind. On December 22, two shows Punchi Apata Den Therei (We Know It Now) and Toppi Velenda (Hat Seller) written and directed by Somalatha will go on the boards at 3.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. The latest LCYTO theatre production Walas Pawula (Three Bears and Goldilocks) written by Somalatha and directed by Dr. Chandana Aluthge, will be staged on December 23 also at the same times. These plays are adaptations of folk tales and fairy tales. All musicals, full of songs, dance, acrobatics, fun and frolic, they communicate many valuable lessons to the child. The professional theatre group of LCYTO handles all aspects of the productions, ranging from acting, choreography, lighting to stage management etc. A number of LCYTO plays have gained international recognition. In 1989, Punchi Apata Den Therei and Toppi Velenda were staged at the Theatre of Young World in Leipzig, Germany with German actors taking part. |
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