Music Beyond Borders | Sunday Observer

Music Beyond Borders

21 January, 2018

Melody and music have historically unified people in their search for common ground and peace.

At the concert, which coincides with the 70th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s independence as she joins India, already celebrating this great milestone, musicians of both countries will come together in a unifying platform of common passions to showcase a concert of symphonic music. The SOSL musicians will be joined by eight orchestral musicians from India along with two internationally renowned artistes of 

Indian origin: Austria-based concert pianist Marialena Fernandes and U.S.-based conductor Viswa Subbaraman. This unique concert will feature two conductors, as Viswa Subbaraman will conduct one half, while the SOSL’s Resident Conductor Dushyanthi Perera will conduct the other half of the program. Indian-born Marialena Fernandes is a recognized artist in the international scene. She has performed in Solo, Chamber Music and Orchestra concerts all over the world and since 1991 has been Professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. Among her many achievements, she is Artistic Director and International Program Curator in Crossover projects, in which Fernandes incorporates classical, jazz and world music fusions with emphasis on improvisation, an intercultural exchange between students, teachers and audiences.

Viswa Subbaraman is an internationally acclaimed American conductor. Equally comfortable in the orchestral realm as with opera, Subbaraman served as Assistant Conductor of the Orchestre National de France where highlights of his tenure include the world premiere of the Overture du Roi Lear by Paul Dukas, a performance of the Stravinsky Octet with soloists of the orchestra in Paris’ famed Théatre des Champs-Elysées and the French premiere of the Symphony for Trombone and Orchestra by Ernst Bloch, which has been recorded and released under the title Tranquille, through the districlassic label.

Dushyanthi Perera is Sri Lanka’s leading cellist and Director of the Cantando Cello ensemble. She has recently established herself as a dynamic orchestral conductor, who can draw inspired performances from the orchestra.

The concert will feature Marialena Fernandes performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 27 and will include Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Haydn and Dvorak’s New World Symphony.

This unique concert which will showcase three masterpieces of western classical music as well as musicians from the region will be presented at the Ladies’ College Hall on February 7 at 7.30pm. 

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