‘Secrets of Love’

At the press briefing from left: Sakas Brand Strategist and Co-Managing Director Kalinga Thilakarathne, song writer Nishantha Wijesinghe, Khemadasa Foundation’s Gayathri Khemadasa and Latha Khemadasa, singer T.M. Jayarathne and Producer of the concert Mahen Jacob

Premasiri Khemadasa

The internationally-renowned Sri Lankan maestro Deshamanya Kala Keerthi Dr. Premasiri Khemadasa’s last addressing of the world in the universal language will be launched as special collection with a concert in October this year. 

The collection ‘Secrets of Love’ is a collection of 20 songs composed by Dr. Khemadasa – also known as “Khemadasa Master” – and the entire collection of songs is written by Nishantha Wijesinghe. The 20 songs which are also included in a CD version will be launched at Nelum Pokuna on 23 October at 6:30 p.m. with performances by the respective artists of the individual songs. 

Well-known local artists Amarasiri Peiris, T. M. Jayarathne, Kasun Kalhara, Indika Upamali, Umaraiya Sinhawansa, W. D. Ariyasinghe, Umali Thilakarathne, Subuddi Lakmali and many other artists of repute will perform at the concert.

Maestro Khemadasa is one of the most influential composers in Sri Lankan music who explored the various styles of music around the world, and he endeavoured to develop a unique style of music. He combined Sinhala folk tunes, Hindustani music, Western music and many other streams of music in his compositions while adapting them to fit contemporary music. 

Dr. Khemadasa emphasised ‘difference’ in order to differentiate his musical project from those of all other Sri Lankan musicians, the majority of whom still think that music and song are the same. Many listeners enjoy a different music when they hear Khemadasa. His music thus emphasised the difference over sameness inherent in the Sri Lankan music culture. 

His initial escape from the confines of orthodox music, which argued for the importance of the Indian musical traditions for the development of Sri Lankan music, made him a great musician. He was working on the boundaries of Eastern and Western traditions and he carefully avoided plunging into either tradition. Therefore, a broad and critical reflexivity is required to appreciate him as a truly Sri Lankan master. In fact, he avoided not only traditional music but also the crude mixture of both known today as fusion music. 

The organisers said that according to music experts the music compositions on the ‘Secrets of Love’ album are scientifically proven to carry frequency range variations that can trigger maximised performance of the human brain. While listening to the music, brainwaves trance towards the alpha state and stabilise in that state. The alpha state is the stage where the human brain maximises its performance in higher brain functions such as memory, intelligence, creativity and imagination skills. Frequent listening to these musical masterpieces of Dr. 

Khemadasa can progressively elevate the brain performance of the listener.

Apart from the concert and the CD, a book titled ‘Secrets of Love’ will also be launched, in which the songs in the album are scientifically explained through psychological insights with a dedicated chapter to each song. Each chapter psychologically analyses and explains the spiritual background of human love from birth to death. The knowledge shared in the book is a powerful key on how to face life successfully and enhance one’s personality. The book is a must read by everyone, especially parents, teenagers, young adults and students of psychology.

The producer of the concert, Mahen Jacob is a well-known science teacher hailing from Kandy and a former lecturer at the University of Peradeniya. Speaking on the event Jacob said that since he was young, he was passionate about art and literature and took part of several English and Sinhala literature competitions while in school at Gampola Jinaraja Maha Vidyalaya. 

“I always wanted to do something great in the field of arts when I have enough financial strength to do well, so when Nishantha Wijesinghe invited me to sponsor this event I said ‘yes’ without any hesitation since Dr. Premasiri Khemadasa is the most universal music master Sri Lanka has ever produced,” Jacob said. 

He said during last few years he has got several invitations from various people to sponsor several musical events and dramas but as a teacher he always wanted to sponsor an event that had a higher cultural and an artistic value.

A substantial portion of the proceeds raised via the concert will be contributed to the Scholarship Fund of the Khemadasa Foundation which was established in Sri Lanka in 1992 by Dr. Premasiri Khemadasa to foster the musical talents of low-income youth, especially from underprivileged parts of the country. All training and courses given to these students has been free of charge. Furthermore the Khemadasa Foundation intends to launch a new music course for the development of local music from the funds raised from this concert. 

Since its inception the Khemadasa Foundation has trained hundreds of singers and musicians, who have performed major compositions in Sri Lanka and abroad. The opera ‘Doramandala,’ which made Rs. 3.7 million on its opening night, the renowned Buddhist cantata ‘Pirinivan Mangalyaya’ and the operas ‘Sonduru Varnadasai,’ ‘Manasavila’ and ‘Agni’ are a few of the acclaimed productions by the foundation. 

Many students of the Khemadasa Foundation have become veteran performers all across Sri Lanka. 

Since the death of Premasiri Khemadasa in 2008, the foundation has been reorganised under a new Board of Directors and strives to continue its work of musical charity and artistic bridge-building.

Pix by Daminda Harsha Perera