Arts
Tuning up for a live performance online
With many aspects of life having come to a standstill amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Performing Arts have also been greatly affected. Theatre, music and dance lovers patiently await the moment concerts are announced so they may experience the thrill of a live performance. There is hope sparking at the end of this tunnel as the Lionel Wendt Memorial Fund (LWMF) brings to audiences a live-stream of the third edition of their annual ‘Young Musicians at the Wendt’ concert on February 27.
A first for the Lional Wendt, the concert will be held online so audiences may enjoy the show from the safety and comfort of their own homes. The young musicians featured are Dhiren Fernando, Karryn Perera, Anagi Gunasekera, Mithahasinee Ratnayake, Arnelli Nissangaratchie, Darshana Amarasinghe, Nimshi Wanniarachchi, Dunithi Dias, Sahan Ransika, Lakpriya Peiris, Roshane Silva, Savindhya Wijesekara, Shenuk Wijesinghe, Tuan Anosh Ismail, Dulith Perera, Dylan Jayasundara, Ineshka De Mel and Nelara Hanghawatta along with students of DanceWorld.
The concert will be completely free of charge as it is organised solely with the intention of giving these young performers a chance to be on stage again and audiences an opportunity to enjoy their music.
“ We want to keep promoting the arts during even the difficult pandemic time, so that the student performers can showcase their talents. We thought it would be a good idea to give them this opportunity and not just them but the technicians who are working the lights and the sound,” the trustees of the LWMF shared with the Sunday Times Magazine.
Shenuk Wijesinghe who is currently studying for the Associate of the Royal Schools of Music (ARSM) in singing under Soundarie David Rodrigo and Chi Hoe Mark from Malaysia says that he is eager to perform and entertain the audience and experience the new style of live streaming while learning something new from the other performers. Cellist Mithahasini Ratnayake adds that although it will be daunting to perform to a non-physical audience, she is extremely grateful to be part of this concert and to be given the opportunity to perform again.
DanceWorld students will join the ‘Young Musicians at the Wendt’ for the first time
Saxophonist Roshane Silva and Pianist Savindhya Wijesekara who will be collaborating with each other demonstrating their love for jazz music share that they are excited to be part of the Young Musicians at the Wendt live streaming concert and honoured to contribute and take part in such an event. “We would like to express our gratitude to the founder members of the Arts Centre in Sri Lanka,” they add.
One of the younger performers, 13-year-old double bassist and pianist Dhiren Fernando says that he is eagerly and excitedly waiting to perform at the concert. Having attended previous iterations of this concert he knows that the standard set will be very high but hopes to live up to them. Dhiren will be performing on the double bass.
The concert will also feature ‘The Colombo Brass Ensemble’ consisting of Dulith Perera on trumpet, Dylan Jayasundara on trumpet, Nelara Hangawaththa on trombone – all students of Lyceum International School, Nugegoda, and Ineshka De Mel, a student of Visakha Vidyalaya on alto saxophone trained by Naveen Fernando. Further a dance performance by the students of DanceWorld with Nelara Hanghawatta will also be a first for a Young Musicians at the Wendt concert as they highlight the beauty of the music with their dance.
Don’t miss out on this one of a kind concert by pre-registering for the event (only those who pre-register will be able to watch the concert). You can either self-register using the QR code given here or call the Lionel Wendt Centre for the Arts on 011-2695794 or email info@lionelwendt.org to register on or before February 24.
Once registered, tune in through the unique link that only you will be able to use to stream the concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 27.