Thank you for the music, students tell SOSL
Enthusiastic response to the orchestra’s outreach concert held in Kurunegala
Continuing their annual free outreach concerts, the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka (SOSL) performed in Kurunegala on July 8 at the Maliyadeva Girls High School hall giving students of the Central Zone of Sri Lanka the rare opportunity of hearing a live orchestral performance.
50 musicians of the SOSL led by Sulara Nanayakkara under the baton of Dushyanthi Perera, performed a selection of dances and waltzes by well known composers such as Strauss, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich. The programme was chosen for its melodious, easy-to-appreciate music.
The response from the students was overwhelming. “I felt I was in heaven. For my future western music exams, I learned so many things about the orchestra and also learned about the instruments,” said a 14-year-old from Maliyadeva College, who has been playing the piano, melodica and piano accordion and trumpet for the past four years.
“I am doing western music as a subject and I hope to do western music for my A/Ls. My problems vanish when I listen to that music. I want to hear music from your great orchestra again and again and again and again,” was the enthusiastic feedback from a 14-year-old violinist from Holy Family Balika M.V College, Kurunegala.
“Honestly it was the best music that I have heard. I haven’t seen some instruments like the bassoon and double bass earlier. By participating at this concert I saw and heard all of them. It’s useful for our education,” said a student from St. Thomas College, Matale.
The response from a teacher from the Govt Science College, Matale was equally heartening for the SOSL members. “This is a rare opportunity. I came with my son and daughter. They are doing western music. I think they gained a lot from you.”
Members of the audience spoke too of how much they had enjoyed the concert:
“I felt like I was dreaming. It was a really good performance, but can you expand the time duration? We want to feel the music for more than 2 hours,” an 18-yearold from Wayamba Royal College, who plays the euphonium, said.
A 13-year-old from S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike College, Kurunegala who was hearing a live orchestra for the first time said she felt happy and sometimes surprised. “The Conductor did best and I love her. I love the orchestra.”
A 17-year-old from Maliyadeva Balika Vidyalaya spoke of how inspirational the concert was. “From the first note the violinist played I was amazed. Felt like I am in heaven. It was great, amazing. Actually no words to explain.”
Since 2013, with the support of the HSBC, the SOSL has entertained and educated around 700 students each year at the Ladies’ College Hall. This year, with the generous support of an anonymous donor who requested that the outreach be extended to students beyond Colombo, the SOSL decided to offer this free concert to the students in the Kurunegala, Matale and Kandy Districts. Over 500 students, parents and teachers from 19 schools from the three districts attended the concert.
The request for an encore and the standing ovation from the entire audience summed up the appreciation of the students, teachers and parents and inspires and energizes the SOSL to continue to reach out.