Deshamanya
Deshamanya ( si, දේශමාන්ය, translit=Dēshamāṉya; ta, தேசமான்ய, translit=Tēcamāṉya; Pride of the Nation) is the second-highest national honour of Sri Lanka awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a ...
Kala Keerthi Dr.Premasiri Khemadasa (
Sinhala: ආචාර්ය ප්රේමසිරි කේමදාස
) (25 January 1937 – 24 October 2008) also known as "Khemadasa Master" was a
Sri Lankan music
The music of Sri Lanka has its roots in five primary influences: ancient folk rituals, Hindu religious traditions, Buddhist religious traditions, the legacy of European colonisation, and the commercial and historical influence of nearby Indian ...
composer. Exploring the various styles of music around the world Khemadasa endeavoured to develop a unique style of music. He combined Sinhala folk tunes,
Hindustani music
Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sita ...
, Western music and many other streams of music in his compositions while adapting them to fit contemporary music.
Biography
Early life
Khemadasa grew up in Talpitiya,
Wadduwa
Wadduwa ( si, වාද්දුව, ta, வடுவா) is a town in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. It is situated on the western coast of Sri Lanka, about south of Colombo. It spans from 30.5 to 36.5 km area along the Galle Road, 4 ...
and attended
St. John's College Panadura and then
Sri Sumangala College Panadura
Panadura ( si, පානදුර, translit=Pānadura; ta, பாணந்துறை, translit=Pāṇantuṟai) is a city in Kalutara District, Western Province in Sri Lanka. It is located approximately south of Colombo and is surrounded on ...
. Born the thirteenth child into a poor rural family on the west coast of Sri Lanka, Khemadasa started with nothing. There was no musical heritage in his family. He was self-taught, learning how to play on cheap bamboo flutes when he was only 6 years old. In all his life, Khemadasa would never receive formal training in music. 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.
His two daughters Anupa and Gayathri now moved into father's stream.
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 Hadawatha
''Golu Hadawatha'' (Translation: The Silent Heart) was a popular 1968 Sinhalese language romance movie directed by Maestro Lester James Peiris. Wickrama Bogoda and Anula Karunathilaka acted the lead roles of Sugath and Dhammhi. The movie's s ...
'' and ''
Nidhanaya
''Nidhanaya'' ( en, The Treasure) is a 1972 Sinhalese language film Dr. Lester James Peries, the screen play, dialog and script by Dr. Tissa Abeysekara, starring Gamini Fonseka and Malini Fonseka. The film stars Gamini Fonseka and Malini Fonseka ...
''. Critics praised his film scores and he was honorally dubbed "Khemadasa master." Khemadasa's signature in film music is moulded 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
Sri Lankabhimanya Lester James Peries ( Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකාභිමාන්ය ලෙස්ටර් ජේම්ස් පීරිස්; 5 April 1919 – 29 April 2018) was a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter, a ...
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
Kala Keerthi Jayantha Chandrasiri ( ජයන්ත චන්ද්රසිරි; born 1959), is a Sri Lankan journalist, screenplay writer, television director, and filmmaker in Sri Lankan cinema. Chandrasiri's film ''Agnidahaya'' won seve ...
has turned out remarkable products whereas the themes he created for Chandrasiri's television series ''
Dandubasnamanaya'' have shown unprecedented power of mesmerisation. 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 death 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 music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...
. 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 civilisation. His operas, being written in
Sinhalese
Sinhala may refer to:
* Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka
* Sinhalese people
* Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka
* Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language
** Sinha ...
, form what can be recognised 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
Films
Nedayo (1976)
* ''Sobana Sitha'' (1964)
* ''Sanasuma Kothanada'' (1966)
* ''Manamalayo'' (1967)
* ''Rena Giraw'' (1967)
* ''
Golu Hadawatha
''Golu Hadawatha'' (Translation: The Silent Heart) was a popular 1968 Sinhalese language romance movie directed by Maestro Lester James Peiris. Wickrama Bogoda and Anula Karunathilaka acted the lead roles of Sugath and Dhammhi. The movie's s ...
'' (1968)
* ''
Hanthane Kathawa
''Hanthane Kathawa'' (Sinhalese language word means "Story of Hanthana") is a 1969 film based on a love story of university students of Sri Lanka. It was directed by famous Sri Lankan film director Sugathapala Senarath Yapa and screened on Augus ...
'' (1969)
* ''Ran Onchilla'' (1971)
* ''
Nidhanaya
''Nidhanaya'' ( en, The Treasure) is a 1972 Sinhalese language film Dr. Lester James Peries, the screen play, dialog and script by Dr. Tissa Abeysekara, starring Gamini Fonseka and Malini Fonseka. The film stars Gamini Fonseka and Malini Fonseka ...
'' (1972)
* ''Duleeka'' (1974)
* ''Desa Nisa'' (1975)
* ''
Bambaru Avith
''Bambaru Avith (The Wasps are Here)'' ( si, italic=yes, බඹරු ඇවිත්) is a 1978 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama film directed by Dharmasena Pathiraja and produced by director himself with Thilak Godamanne for Saranga Salaroo. It exp ...
'' (1978)
* ''Muwan Palassa 1'' (1979)
* ''Hingana Kolla'' (1979)
* ''Hansa Vilak'' (1980)
* ''Janaka Saha Manju''
* ''Yasa Isuru'' (1982)
* ''
Kaliyugaya'' (1983)
* ''Thunweni Yamaya'' (1983)
* ''
Dadayama
''Dadayama (The Hunt)'' ( si, දඩයම) is a 1983 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama thriller film directed by Vasantha Obeysekera and co-produced by Rabbin Chandrasiri, Sunil Jayasiri and P.A Somadasa for Canfo Films. It stars Ravindra Randeniya and Sw ...
'' (1984)
* ''
Yuganthaya
''Yuganthaya'' ( Sinhala: යුගාන්තය "The End of an Era" or "Destiny") is a novel written by Sri Lankan writer Martin Wickremasinghe and first published in 1949. It is the third and last part of Wickramasinghe's trilogy that began w ...
'' (1985)
* ''
Avurududa
''Avurududa'' (අවුරුදු දා), is a 1985 Sri Lankan Sinhala language drama film co-directed by Wimal Saman Jayaweera and Nimal Tennakoon and co-produced by Saman Jayaweera, Padmasiri Ranasingha and Sarath Kulathunga for S.S Cine T ...
'' (1986)
* ''Sandakada Pahana'' (1988)
* ''Kristhu Charithaya'' (1990)
* ''
Gini Avi Saha Gini Keli
''Gini Avi Saha Gini Keli'' ( si, ගිණි අවි සහ ගිණි කෙළි, English: ''Firearms and Fireworks'') is a 1998 Sri Lankan crime film directed by Udayakantha Warnasuriya and produced by Ranjith Jayasuriya, based on a p ...
'' (1998)
* ''
Julietge Bhumikawa
''Julietge Bhumikawa (Illusions of Juliet)'' ( si, ජුලියට්ගේ භූමිකාව) is a 1998 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama thriller film directed by Jackson Anthony as his maiden directorial venture and co-produced by Gamini Nanayak ...
'' (1998)
* ''
Agnidahaya
''Agnidahaya'' (''Fire and Water''; si, අග්නිදාහය) is a 2002 Sri Lankan Sinhala film directed and produced by Jayantha Chandrasiri for Soyanno Films. It stars Jackson Anthony and Yashoda Wimaladharma in lead roles along with Kam ...
'' (2002)
* ''
Guerilla Marketing
''Guerilla Marketing'' ( si, ගරිල්ලා මාර්කටිං, italic=yes) is a 2005 Sri Lankan Sinhala action thriller film directed by Jayantha Chandrasiri and produced by K.C.K Communications for Euroshian Consultancy. It stars Y ...
'' (2005)
* ''
Sudu Kalu Saha Alu
''Sudu Kalu Saha Alu (Shades of Ash)'' ( si, සුදු කළු සහ අළු, italic=yes) is a 2005 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama thriller film directed by Sudath Mahaadivulwewa and produced by Krishan Deheragoda for Cine Shilpa. It stars Di ...
'' (2005)
* ''Maldeniye Simiyon''
* ''Surabi dena''
* ''Sirimadura''
* ''
Sonduru Dadabima
''Sonduru Dadabima (A Pleasurable Hunt)'' ( si, සොඳුරු දඩබිම) is a 2003 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama thriller film directed by Anura Horatious and produced by W. A. S. K. Samarawickrema for Sadheera Films. It stars Sanath Wimala ...
'' (2003)
* ''
Randiya Dahara
''Randiya Dahara (Golden Water)'' ( si, රන්දිය දහර, italic=yes) is a 2004 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama film directed by Udayakantha Warnasuriya and produced by Neil Ranjth Palliyaguruge for R.J Films. It stars Geetha Kumarasinghe an ...
'' (2004)
* ''
Ammawarune
''Ammawarune'' ( si, italic=yes, අම්මාවරුනේ) is a 2006 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama film directed by Dr. Lester James Peries and produced by Jagath Wijenayake for Silumina Films. It stars Malini Fonseka, and Pradeep Dharmadasa in ...
'' (2006)
* ''
Kanyavi
''Kanyavi'' ( si, කන්යාවි, italic=yes) is a 2009 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama film directed by Siritunga Perera and produced by Indika Wijeratne for Cine Vision Lanka Films. It stars Sanath Gunathilake and Meena Kumari in lead roles a ...
'' (2009)
Tamil film
* ''Wasanthaththil Oru Wanawil''
International films
* Melam Kottu Thali Kattu
amil - India* Thousand Flowers
* Music Garden
Stage Dramas
* Bari Sil
* Sithijaya
* Manasa Wila
* Doramadala
* Mora
* Ath
* Havila sara
* Diriya Mawa saha Age Daruwo
Operas
*Manasa Villa
*Sonduru warnadasi
*
Agni (opera)
Teledramas
* Ella Laga Walawwa
* Golu Hadawatha
* Weda Hamine
* Dandubasnamanaya
* Durganthaya
* Rajana
* Akalasandya
* Bogala Soundiris
* Diya Bubula
* Idorayaka Mal pipila
* Uthamavi
*Kelimadala
*Sathara Denek Sempathiyo
Awards
See also
*
Agni Opera
Further reading
* මාස්ටර් සංගීත යුග යාත්රිකයා
* අඩසියවසක කේමදාස නම් ඔහු – සිරිල් බී. පෙරේරා (1987)
* කේමදාස න්යාය භාවිතය සහ අරගලය – ලූශන් බුලත්සිංහල (2000)
* සංගීතයේ හෙට දවස කේමදාස – උපුල් ගුරුගේ (2001)
References
External links
Premasiri Khemadasa Agni Opera*
Comprehensive biography of Khemadasa The immortal note that captures the heart beat of the nation Listen to compositions by Dr. Khemadasa at Sinhala JukeboxReminiscence of his real-life sonataSonic canvas of Premasiri KhemadasaPremasiri Khemadasa in Sinhalaප්රේමසිරි කේමදාසයන්ගේ නිර්මාණ අපයෝජකයන්ට වැඩ වරදියිමට තාත්තා වගේ වෙන්න බැහැ - ගයත්රි කේමදාසකේමදාස කියන්නේ සංගීත පැක්ටරියක් නෙවෙයි
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khemadasa, Premasiri
Sinhalese musicians
1937 births
2008 deaths
Sri Lankan composers
Alumni of Sri Sumangala College, Panadura
Alumni of St. John's College, Panadura
Sinhalese singers
20th-century Sri Lankan male singers
Deshamanya
Kala Keerthi
People from Panadura