Rukshan Perera takes the stage for fifth concert

Wednesday, 14 January 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Composer and singer Rukshan Perera is gearing up for his fifth concert since returning from the US with 10 brand new compositions to entertain his fans on 18 January at the Bishop’s College Auditorium. The concert is organised by the Rotary Club of Colombo Metropolitan in aid of the Rotary Foundation. This year Colombo Metropolitan is launching a flagship initiative called the ‘Lama Piyasa – Ragama Rehab

ilitation Hospital Project’, which involves the construction and administration of a rehabilitation ward for juvenile victims of abuse and neglect which will receive assistance from the Rotary Foundation. Perera has delighted audiences around the world for several years with his music. To date he has performed at jazz/pop concerts in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, New Jersey, Boston, Chicago, Texas, Minnesota, Canada, India, Dubai, Afghanistan, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. This will be his fifth concert since returning to Sri Lanka from the US. Rukshan is an ultra-talented musician who has shown time and again that he can move and inspire like no other performer. Whipping up a storm on guitar, piano, flute and harmonica, this multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer will showcase his original material with meaningful lyrics, beautiful melodies and sophisticated harmonies to cover topics of current social significance - a tribute song to Nelson Mandela, a tribute to this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousufzai for her commitment to education in spite of threats from extremists and a special song dedicated to the abused children at ‘Lama Piyasa’. Every song will possess its own style including some of his a cappella compositions and ‘Nursery Rhapsody’, a song that takes the form of the famous band Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. He will also perform ‘What Time Is It?’ one of his fans’ favourite songs with Rukshan at the piano and the hilarious ‘Gossip Queen’ with a special act on stage. With many new and old compositions, this concert will feature the De Lanerolle Brothers, Rajitha Rupesinghe, Clifford Richards, Choro Calibre, Asteria, Sarith and Surith and many more with a solid backing band including Sureka Amarasinghe, Lelum Ratnayake, Ruwan Weerasekera, Ray Gomes to name a few. Look out for Rukshan’s now-famous harmony scatting and prepare to be blown away by his unique two-part harmony whistling – another of his creations which has now become his signature move. A variety of songs and styles can be heard on his CD and two DVDs that are selling fast in the market. Perera genuinely enjoys contributing to the groove and mood of entertainment so be ready to be riveted by Rukshan’s stirring renditions of his original, unique and memorable compositions. It promises to be a concert experience hitherto unmatched in Sri Lanka. Tickets are available at Bayleaf, Park Street Mews and Commons. For more information call 0773291956 or 0773057220.