Why are Kandy folk deprived of concerts?

I read of the wonderful concert at Ladies’ College by the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka (SOSL) together with soloists and choirs. During the 23 years I have lived in Kandy the orchestra has never played a concert here and I am told the SOSL has never visited Kandy.

Is it expected that music lovers such as myself must endure over six hours of driving to attend any concert or theatre performance in Colombo plus the extra costs involved? It would appear that the SOSL considers that such quality music or theatre is not of any value to those in Kandy and surrounding towns. Even the Peradeniya University has no dedicated music department, and only has occasional drama presentations in Sinhala. Several leading schools do have music departments but no attempt has been made to develop a quality youth orchestra.

I regularly visit Singapore where the situation is very different and where a majority of government primary and secondary schools have well developed music departments with high quality orchestras and chamber groups. I have attended many of these concerts and can vouch for the quality of music.

The majority of young people in Kandy are never given the opportunity to appreciate classical, light and otherwise, music or professional theatre. Surely it would be possible for a smaller orchestra and soloists to occasionally perform concerts a few times a year.

Several years ago I made repeated contact with the manager of the orchestra to perform in Kandy. The replies I received were basically that people in Kandy would not pay to attend such concerts and members of the orchestra who live in Colombo and the surrounding areas would not wish to travel that far.