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We came across a very talented Trintian who composes and plays his own music. This young Trinity Mozart is Hasitha Epakande from grade 12. We first got to hear Hasitha’s playing on an Instagram post and thought that he deserves a bit of recognition. Being an interested young chap in Western Music, Hasitha first started to play a piano in grade 6. Eventually he completed IWMS music exams up to Grade V and bought a piano while he was in grade 9. Hasitha says that he watched so many classical music videos and was influenced by the compositions and their composers. Although we have compared Hasitha to Mozart, his all time favourite composers are Beethoven and Liszt! A modern day composer Hasitha has his compositions uploaded on Musescore, an online website where music can be put into score sheets with playback and download options for visitors. To this date, he has completed 4 piano compositions and 1 orchestral composition: December Winds ( Nocturne in D Minor ) China La Mattina (The Morning) (Orchestral) Der Kolibri ( The Hummingbird) Dance of Death (Etude in A Minor) A committed pianist Hasitha improved his technique with the help of his teachers and by watching videos of technical studies of different composers, and of course by practising a lot! “Always maintain a natural hand technique which is neither a Stiff one nor an Over – Relaxed one.” – says Hasitha For those who study music, you will see that Hasitha does like to improvise on the piano, making his style of playing a bit unique, which also means that he does break few rules in Western Music similar to Jazz composers. He likes both Eastern and Western Music and also sings. At the Sri Lanka Festival of Music, Dance and Speech 2019, Hasitha became the All Island Winner of the Piano Solo (Own Choice), and at the same competition, he also received the London College of Music Trophy for the Best Outstanding Piano Solo. Hasitha is grateful to all those who have supported him and continues to do so throughout his music journey. He specially thanks his parents, his brother (who also happens to be a talented singer!), his Western Music teachers: Mrs L.C.N.C Surendrakumar, Mrs K George and Mrs L. I. Hettige, his friends Rahal, Pamuditha, Mark and Shehan and many more. Hasitha is studying for his ALs in the Physical Science stream. “Let your feelings flow through the instrument, neither over-relaxing nor straining, but naturally.” – Hasitha Appreciation over competition In a society where every sport and entertainment activity is considered a competition, with few judges making the decisions, we have taken quite a different approach in recognizing and appreciating the talents of young Trinitians and giving them the motivation of ‘becoming best at what they do’. We hope this would be the first of many posts to appear on the website in the future! If you know of a Trinitian or a group talented in music or any other activity, write to us via our feedback form on the College website. We always try our best to highlight every group and individual in school. Hasitha Epakande in action – playing Dance of Death (Etude in A Minor): An improvisation in B Flat Minor:
The Junior School Choir won the Richard Deering special award for the All Island Best Popular Choir at the Sri Lanka Festival of Music, Dance & Speech organized by International Institute of Music, Speech & Dance (IIMSD), held on the 15th of September 2019 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). The choir came first in their category and the 32 choristers performed: Little Shoe Maker – by Petula Clark Annie’s Song – by John Denver
The All Island Western Music and Dance Competition organised by the Ministry of Education was held on 8th July 2019 at the National Institute of Education. Trinity College was placed in the primary age group A1 (boys) Category, for this event. The Junior School choir came first in their category and the 34 choristers performed: Little Shoe Maker – by Petula Clark Annie’s Song – by John Denver This is the 4th consecutive year that the Junior School Choir became winners at the All Island Western Music and Dance Competition. We congratulate all the students who participated bringing back a great achievement to the school. Our Heartiest thanks to Mr.Samith Perera (MIC) for his hard work training the boys and Mr.Imal Wasagaratne for the Choreography.
Once again it was the time for one of the most anticipated events in the Trinity calendar – held this year on the 2nd of December 2018. The service comprised nine readings from the Bible, each followed by carols which has relevance with the reading. The choir is known for singing in several languages, with Sinhala and Tamil having been made a standard part of the tradition since 1964. This year’s service was special as it marks the 60th year since the traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was held at Trinity for the first time in 1958, and was undoubtedly a memorable evening of worship and praise to all those present. The evening commenced with choristers coming in procession, descending from the Principal’s bungalow to the Chapel holding lamps. The Chapel was lit only with candlelight imbuing it with a tranquil and beautiful atmosphere. The traditional solo of “Once in Royal David’s City” was sung by a Chorister from Grade 6, the Choir joined in harmony at the second verse, accompanied by the organ, as they gracefully proceeded towards the Choir stalls. As the opening carol “Adam Lay Abounden” by Boris Ord was sung a sense of wonderment filled the air as the congregation pondered upon Adams first ever sin leading up to the birth of Christ. This was also the context of the first lesson which was read by a chorister from Grade 7. Next was a Sinhala carol “Sandun Vimanen” which was accompanied by the organ along with the traditional thabla and thalampota. Upon the conclusion of the second lesson, a moving rendition of “O Little One Sweet” composed by J.S. Bach, reminded the congregation of Christ’s birth and how the son of man was yet once a meek and sweet little child. After the third lesson a Tamil carol “Andhi Neram Vaadai Kaalam” was sung. This was a clear depiction of the versatility in the choir’s choice of carols, which was accompanied by the same instruments used in the Sinhala carol. The fourth lesson was accompanied by “Virga Jesse” composed by Anton Bruckner. The complexity of this composition was quite notable as it brought about a sense of serenity with its impressive harmonies and also a feeling of rejoicing towards the end of the carol. The carol “Bogoroditse Dyevo” by Arvo Part told of the message the archangel Gabriel gave unto the mother of God in conjunction with the fifth lesson. The choir’s capabilities were clearly brought out by this performance and it was commendable performance sung in the Russian language. The next carol “See Amid the Winter Snow” had three soloists: an alto, a bass, and, keeping in line with recent years, an Old Chorister soloist. The chapel filled with grandeur as the chorus to this carol was sung; rejoicing in the glorious birth of Christ. The carol in relation to the sixth reading was “In the Bleak Mid-Winter” composed by Harold Darke. It comprised two soloists: a treble and a tenor, who were gradually accompanied in angelic harmony by the choir. This truly brought about a depiction of a cold and desolate winter time in which Christ was born in Bethlehem. Once again adding to the variation in the language and style of the carols performed, a French carol “Quittez Pastuers” arranged by Stephen Cleobury, was sung adding to the grandeur of the worship which resonated with the faithful and praising hearts of the congregation. The next carol had three soloists who sang throughout, accompanied by the choir: Peter Cornelius’s “The Three Kings” was sung by soloists who each represented the kings while the Choir sang the chorale. This particular performance was the perfect illustration of Christ’s godly nature and royalty as well as his humanity. After the carol “Hark the Herald”, and the congregation lit their candles and the lights of the chapel were switched off. The choir then began to sing the “Candlelight” carol. The simple but beautiful harmonies combined with the chapel lit only by candles to a truly spectacular and moving atmosphere that warmed and tugged on the heart of all who were present. As per tradition, the carol “O Come all ye Faithful” was sung as the Choir recessed to the west door, to end the last verse with a triumphant descant, marking the end of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. It was interesting to note that the Chapel continued to be lit only with candles until the end of the service. “A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols” was based on an order drawn up by E. W. Benson, later Archbishop of Canterbury, for the use in a wooden shed that served as his cathedral, for Christmas Eve 1880 in Truro. It has since been adapted and used by other churches all over the world. A. C. Benson recalled: ‘My father arranged from ancients sources a little service for Christmas Eve – nine carols and nine tiny lessons, which were read by various officers of the Church, beginning with a chorister, and ending, through the different grades, with the Bishop’. The history of the carol services at Trinity is an interesting one. With records commencing from 1935, all carol services have been somewhat similar to the ‘nine lessons’ tradition with several lessons, except for the one in 1954 where there had been only two lessons with 16 Carols. In 1950 the carol service was broadcast over the BBC world service. Browse our FLICKR site for the full album.
“Unlike other concerts, it was not too long, although we simply wished it to be longer as the music was spectacular! One of the greatest music concerts I have ever been to, can’t wait for the next production by the Trinity College Choir!!” – A student from Middle School “The Choristers were all in sync and the music was also so good that, PERFECT would be the best way to describe it!” – A student from Upper School “I liked complexity and vivid genres that were chosen by the choir this time!” – An Old Boy “A lovely evening, I would not miss the opportunity to see the choristers in action again” – An overseas visitor “The concert is ought to be brought down to Colombo!” – A visitor from Colombo “I wished the music would never end” – A music teacher “This was the best event that happened in years and everything was so classy – we enjoyed it so much” – A member of the staff “You should have a repeat performance – there were many who couldn’t get a seat” – A grand parent “It was simply mesmerising” – A parent The evening of Friday, 14th of September will have indeed been a memorable one for all those who were present at the Trinity College Main Hall for the “Mind Your Music” concert; a fine work of art by the Trinity College Choir with live musical accompaniment on keyboard, guitar and drums. The hall was packed with an appreciative audience with all the seats being sold out a day before. Held once every two years, the theme this year was “Musicals to Movies”. As suggested by the name, it included many compositions by celebrated musicians performed in well known films over the years. The evening started with a solo and joined in harmony by the choir: a true children’s classic from 1930’s Wizard of Oz, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, originally composed by Harold Arlen. The calm and peaceful nature of Dorothy’s heartfelt song was brought forth with great success by both the choir and the soloist. Next was “As Time Goes By” from an all time great film Casablanca. The jazzy, bluesy and romantic song was brilliantly performed by the talented soloist and the choir, filling the air with the memories of what is truly a time gone by. The Ascot Gavotte, a memorable composition from the famous Lerner and Lowes musical My Fair Lady followed next, and yet again the choir performed an astounding rendition of this classic work of art allowing the audience to reminisce the plight of Eliza Doolittle, the flower seller disguised as a lady. At the end of the song, a clip from the film is played, where Eliza, fully dressed up at an upper-class racecourse, suddenly yells at her horse to “move your blooming a- “. Next, the air hummed with the bouncy strains of the clumsy 1960s detective and comedy animation series The Pink Panther’s theme song by Henry Mancini. A short clip played before the performance showed the choir is not afraid to laugh at itself, featuring a scene from the cartoon where a conductor, enraged by various sounds made by an audience member, resorts to the universal communication device of a gun. It is without doubt the audience was filled with excitement as the choir performed with much enthusiasm. The next composition was one that was introduced to the world by the foremost and the most influential pop band in history, “Yesterday” written by Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles in a dream. Lined up in the 1960s movie Help!, this was yet again another melodious performance by the choir and soloist combined. The theme to Top Cat, a well known American children’s animation series followed next was a fine work of the jazz genre that the choir together with a solo bass line on the piano performed with a great deal of excitement, showing that they enjoyed it as much as the audience. Get Yourself a College Girl was another classic film released in 1964. The song “Girl from Ipanema” is a well established composition by musician Antonio Carlos Jobim. This too was a solo performance accompanied together with the choir and instruments. A song for all ages would be an apt description for the next performance: “Edelweiss” by Rodgers and Hammerstein, taken from the classic musical The Sound of Music. It filled the audience with a sense of nostalgia taking them back to their very own childhood as they too were asked to join in with the choir to sing the final verses of the song. A Walt Disney production would always be an essential addition for a concert themed on musicals and films, as it was probably many audience members’ first introduction to music. The Basses and Tenors of the choir (introduced as the TTBB Boys) did not fail to fill in this requirement, performing a barbershop worthy “The Vulture Song” by the Sherman brothers from the Disney favourite, The Jungle Book. “The name’s Bond…James Bond”, a catchphrase known by many action film enthusiasts young and old. The James Bond theme by Monty Norman preceded next. The audience was indeed felt the thrill and anticipation as the choir performed this composition as they were reminded of scenes from a classic fast-paced spy story. Next was a piece that had quite the contrasting genre to the previous song: “Memory” from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats was indeed a memorable addition to the list of songs performed by another soloist together with the choir. It induced a soothing but sad atmosphere as the choir progressed onto their next composition. Another astounding solo performance followed next from the 1980s romantic drama Arthur. It was indeed a pleasure to hear yet another solo performance accompanied by the choir and instruments showing the great potential and calibre of the Trinity College choristers. Rowan Atkinson was famous for his hilarious role as Mr Bean, a British sitcom aired in the 1990s. “Ecce Homo” by Howard
The Trinity College Choir will stage its biennial concert “Mind Your Music” (MYM) on Friday 14th September, 6.30 p.m. at the Trinity College Main Hall. Every concert of MYM is centred around a theme to showcase a broad array of genres and eras. For example, previous themes have included “Plain Song to Pop” and “Rhymes to Rhapsody”. This year, the theme “Musicals to Movies” is intended to shed a spotlight on the many influential creations on film and on stage, and the music used in them. The concert features a choice of music spanning through the ages from old to new, and the wide array of musical genres covered. Throughout its long history, The Trinity College Choir is known for its versatility in performing not only classical spiritual works, but also secular pop and jazz. The Choir consists of young Trinitians from the ages of 9 to 19 who enjoy singing regularly at events throughout the year, sometimes even during school holidays, both for events at Trinity and outside public events of others. The programme will consist of various themes and songs from famous musicals and movies performed by the Choir with live musical accompaniment on piano, keyboard, guitar and drums. A variety of musical styles will be on display from a swinging jazz, to a dark avenging orchestral theme, some which are a cappella, all promise to delight an audience of all ages. Disney classics sit side by side with spy thrillers, and a swaying bossa nova whose solemn language is contradicted by the comedy classic it appears in. “Musicals to Movies” will feature the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Burt Bacharach, Freddy Mercury, Frederick Loewe, Henry Mancini, Howard Goodall, Lennon-McCartney, Richard Rodgers, The Sherman Brothers, and other celebrated musicians. The concert will be 80 minutes, taking the same format as the previous MYM 2016. More information will be regularly updated on the MYM Facebook event page and Trinity College Choir Facebook page. Programmes and Reservations Entrance will be by programme only, which can be reserved by email [email protected] , or calling or sending an SMS to: 776 828 600. Reservations can also be made by purchasing a Programme Token (priced at 1000/=, 500/= and 300/=), available at the Trinity College Junior School office. Programmes can also be reserved online! Click here for more details.
The Trinity College Oriental Music Society participated at the All Island Music Competitions 2018 organised by the Ministry of Education, held on 30th of June and 1st of July at Christ the King College, Pannipitiya and Vidyakara Balika Vidyalaya, Maharagama. The members of the Oriental Music Society took part in 2 events: Instrumental Composition (Open Category) The Classical Orchestra of the Oriental Music Society became All Island Champions in instrumental composition (raag vasantha mukhari) under ‘open’ category. Instrumental Duet The instrumental duet (raag brindawani saaranga) was the second Runners-up in the All Island Competitions. The duet was performed by Bhashitha Wijesinghe in flute and S. K. Fernando in Violin, and they were accompanied by U. C. Rajarathne in Thabla and T. B. Herath in Harmonica. We are grateful to the Master-in-Charge of the Oriental Music Society, Mr. Upul Edirisinghe and Mistress-in-Charge, Miss. Arosha Weerasinghemenike who are responsible for the achievements of the Oriental Music Society at this competition. Review by Sheshan Abeysekara
The Western Music Society took part in the All Island Western Music and Dance Competition organised by the Ministry of Education on 24th June 2018. At the Central Province Competition the Senior Choral Group emerged champions with a score of 92 points. The Piano Solo performance by Abhisheka Surendrakumar was placed first in the Provincial level with a score of 89 points. Both the Senior Choral Group and the Piano Solo were selected to compete in the National Level Competitions held on the 24th of June at National Institute of Education Maharagama. In the National Level Competition the Senior Choral Group emerged All Island winners in the A1 category (competing with Wesley College, Colombo and Maris Stella College, Negombo) for the fourth consecutive year with a score of 87 points. Master Abhisheka Surendrakumar emerged All Island winner for the 3rd time with a score of 92 points. Review by Nikila Amarasena
The National Drum and Dance Troupe of Trinity College Kandy participated in the All Island Drum and Dance Competition held on the 3rd of June 2018 at St. Joseph’s College, Anuradhapura. The 10 member troupe was placed second at the competition with a great performance, with first place going to St. Joseph’s College. The Troupe performed the item, ‘Rana Bima‘, using traditional drums depicting the way how soldiers in the past fought in wars. Following are the members of the troupe along with the instruments they played at the competition: Hak gediya – T. Bandara and A. Medagedara Thammattama – S. Danapala, K. Udawaththa, and T. Moragoda Dawla – P. Alahakoon, T. Bandara, and V. Wijekoon Gata beraya – M. Abeyratne and A. Medagedara Yak beraya – S. Palagasinghe and D. Jayasundara Horanawa – S. Danapala and V. Wijekoon Thalampata – S. Palasinghe and M. Abeyratne The Troupe performed the same item at the Upper School Assembly on 8th June 2018. A video recording of the performance is shown below: Being one of the most highly recognized organizations in the school and around the country, the National Drum and Dance Troupe continues to excel and develop with the support and guidance of their instructor, Mr. S.N. Chandrasiri and the Master-in-charge of the troupe, Mr. Ruwan Jayaratne. Review by Sheshan Abeysekara Picture and Video Recording credits to the Trinity College Media Unit
Reviewed by the Junior Literary Association, Trinity College Kandy. It was a memorable evening for the audience at the Trinity College Hall on the 20th of April, as four of Sri Lanka’s foremost musicians took the stage for an enchanting hour of chamber music. They were warmly welcomed and introduced by the Choirmaster of Trinity as renowned musicians of Sri Lanka – Dushy Perera (the present conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka) on Cello, Tamara Holsinger on Cello, Shanthi Dias on Piano, and Nilupul Silva on the violin. These virtuosos were gathered not only to perform for the young audience but also to educate them with some salient aspects of the music that was performed. The works of three composers Handel, Rachmaninoff , and Mendelsshon, each introduced by Tamara Holsinger, was the treat for the evening. Handel’s Trio Sonata, a piece originally written for two violins and performed by Dushy, Tamara and Shanthi. Each of the four movements were marked by their typical and distinct characteristics. This was a valuable experience for the students, to see and feel a full sonata being performed live. Rachmaninoff’s Trio Elegiaque was introduced as an elegy, the characteristic repetitive bars demonstrated by Shanthi. The piece saw the entrance of Nilupul on stage, who performed with Tamara and Shanthi. The audience was absorbed by the emotion of the piece, and musical nuances of sorrow and solemnity brought out expertly by the musicians. Mendelsshon’s Erstes Trio was introduced as one of the composer’s most well known and as having more pronounced work for the piano. The piece was performed by Dushy, Nilupul and Shanthi, where each instrument recited its own mind in exotic harmony with others. During the performance, there was attentive silence from the audience of about 80 school children, who were present despite their school holidays, as they sat savouring the music as if they were held in a trance; while the musicians passionately made their instruments talk, whisper, walk, run, mourn and laugh with joy. The audience fittingly showed their appreciation and happiness by sweetly rising to their feet, applauding full of smiles, for the final bow of a singularly wonderful evening. A senior Chorister proposed a vote of thanks to the musicians for giving the audience the privilege and an extraordinary treat. He also thanked the Chairperson of SOSL Board for contacting the Principal of Trinity College who facilitated this evening. He concluded by expressing the wish for the musicians to come once again to a hall full of music enthusiasts. The hour saw a pleasant end with everyone happily parting wishing for more.
