Mahesh Denipitiya needs no introduction. The son of the eminent music director Patrick Denipitiya, music runs in his blood. Mahesh was more interested in computer hardware and becoming an engineer in that profession. However, he was destined to become a musician.
Accomplished
Now well known and accomplished, he is a household name in music having made an enormous contribution to the music industry in the country. A fabulous keyboardist, composer, pianist and a superior in music arrangements we could say, perhaps even superseding the achievements of his father Patrick Denipitiya.
With the blessings of his parents initially Mahesh commenced his music career with a guitar as a birthday gift. He was taught how to manage time when he attended recordings at night without disrupting studies.
Mahesh met his wife Nandika (an Architect) at the University of Moratuwa where they were both studying and were involved in Buddhist Bakthi Gee programs.
Although a Roman Catholic Mahesh had no biased religious discrimination. Blessed with two children his eldest daughter Dulani is studying for a Doctorate in Landscape Architecture in Melbourne while his son Eshan is an accomplished pianist having studied music and is now living in Singapore. Both are very gifted in music having inherited creative talents. At the outset of his career Mahesh impressed music affionados playing for the first ever reality program Sirasa Super Star Season 1 in 2006.
The producers and directors originally wanted him to perform as a solo pianist, but he created a new trend by introducing a musical set up of violin, piano and percussion, thereby increasing viewer ratings and making it the most watched TV program at that time thus altered the path of the music industry.
Thereafter, all other TV channels followed suit with regard to reality competitions.
Achievements
Among many milestones and achievements in his musical career to date, the latest is the video he was involved with called, ‘Aluth Iskole’.
As part of the team consisting of Mariazelle Goonetilleke, Upul Sannasgala, Shakila Perera, Sagara Lakmal and Kelum Srimal, he created a musical masterpiece which could only have been achieved by a music maestro like Mahesh.
The program included seventy five artistes and musicians. This video was released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of ‘World Earth Day’ on April 22, 2020. The artistes and musicians were made to be united during this global lockdown. The music composition, arrangements and mix was mastered by the creative Mahesh.
The scenes were completed via mobile phones, for audio and video, since all had to comply with the Covid-19 world lockdown social distancing rule.
This was an extraordinary video which had to be done with immense patience and precision and with his computer hardware expertise it was well within Mahesh’s wide radar.
Mahesh Denipitiya with his many sensitive and experienced instrumentalists and singers is a much sought after orchestra leader.
He has the uncanny intuition to organise shows with many popular vocalists. In addition, in the recent past, another milestone achieved by him was when TV Derana (Premium entertainment channel) in partnership with Dell Computers approached him to launch a ‘Dell Studio,’ a music program series to re-record the popular songs of all artistes with his mastermind creative music direction. He successfully created this new music concept for four seasons between 2014 to 2017 uninterruptedly.
It was quite a hazardous task but he completed it triumphantly with his able musical instrumentalists and competent back up singing group in Anushka, Apeksha, Praneeth, Saman Lenin and the rest.
Today’s artistes were all invited to sing which they did to their hearts’ content. There was no doubt that all viewers enjoyed the obvious change well. Thus Mahesh triumphed having acted as a genius in this endeavour.
Mahesh always stretches a hand to help many in music compositions for new songs voluntarily. On May 15, 2020 he released the song Premaye Sirakariye sung by Anushka Madubhashini on YouTube. Subsequently, the song Pathinawe Devamaniyo and Dinak Dinak sung by Praneeth Shivanka was also released on YouTube.
Thus in the field of music Mahesh Denipitiya is a busy sought after musical genius who continues to flourish in the music industry with his enormous talent. He has sufficient strength to create more to the music industry, to make the country the cynosure of the music world.