The Krasna Chamber Ensemble (KCE) directed by the renowned violinist Ananda Dabare is planning to showcase their talents again on 25 February, at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. This time they are planning to expand the composition of the ensemble to include a fully featured orchestra by introducing woodwind, brasswind and percussion instruments played by about 50 talented musicians. The KCE was formed by Ananda Dabare who is well known in the western classical music arena.
The purpose of this formation is to offer local enthusiasts of western classical music an experience filled with creativity and entertainment with a blend of western and local music performances. The ultimate goal of the founder is to develop this ensemble into a philharmonic orchestra featuring a symphony of talented musicians covering string, wind and percussion instruments.
Ananda Dabare needs no further introduction. He was introduced to the violin at the age of 8 by his father, and began to learn Oriental music, becoming a member of the orchestra of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. His interest in Western Classical music was aroused on hearing a solo violin piece on the radio.
In 2006, Ananda was honored with the Bunka Cultural Award by the Japan-Sri Lanka Friendship Cultural Fund. Ananda’s experience of oriental music and training in western music has made him sought-after to do the arrangements of the Sinhala art songs for voice and orchestra, which he has done a few times now.
For this concert KCE has selected a challenging repertoire which is popular in the western world, but mostly unheard of on the Sri Lankan main-stage; thus hoping to create a unique experience for the classical music enthusiasts in Colombo. Mozart’s Symphony no. 40 in G Minor, Smetana’s “The Moldau” and especially, the Rodrigo’s Guitar Concerto are some of the many works they intend to perform at this concert. The special feature at the concert, The Concierto de Aranjuez is a composition of classical guitar and orchestra by the Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo. Written in 1939, it is by far Rodrigo’s best-known work, and its success established his reputation as one of the most significant Spanish composers of the twentieth century. This has never been performed in Sri Lanka before, and will be the first performance. Jude Peiris, a renowned classical guitarist will join the ensemble as the soloist for the performance.
Jude Peiris started serious music education on theory of music and classical guitar at the age of 18. A few years later he joined the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation as a Guitarist. During this period he contributed immensely to recordings, concerts and television programs as a classical and a pop guitarist. At the age of 28 he joined the Sri Lanka Navy as a Band Master and followed a “music direction course” at the Royal Marine School of Music, United Kingdom. After 17 years of service as a band master he was appointed as the Director of Music, Sri Lanka Navy in 2006.
The Program: Mozart’s Symphony no. 40 in G Minor is arguably the most popular of all of Mozart’s forty-one symphonies, despite the fact that its first movement became one of the most annoying ringtones of the mobile phones of the 90s. It was probably quite popular in Mozart’s lifetime, too.
As the music that KCE intends on performing at the concert is unique, particularly, the guitar concerto. They have made arrangements to hire the original music from European authors in compliance with their IP rights.
Tickets for the concert are now available at the Lionel Wendt theatre.
