Srilankan MP3

     W.D. AMARADEVA 

  (born December 5, 1927 in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka), better known by his adopted name Amaradeva, is a Sri Lankan vocalist and musical composer. Primarily using traditional instruments like sitars, tablas and harmoniums, Amaradeva incorporates Sinhala folk music with Indian ragas in his work.

In the mid-1950s, Amaradeva in his Janagayana project consulted experts of the Kandyan dance tradition like Pani Bharata, Kiriganita, Gunamala, Ukkuva and Suramba in his path to understand what constituted Sinhala folk music. Noting that it mostly revolved around a single melody, he decided to add verses that would lead up to the central melody which would now be a chorus thus forming two parts (unseen earlier in traditional Sri Lankan music) removing restrictions that had existed earlier. In doing so, Amaradeva created a uniquely Sinhalese music style that stayed true to folk tradition while incorporating outside influences. His work was vital in the creation of the sarala gee genre practiced subsequently by artists like Victor Ratnayake, Sunil Edirisinghe and Sanath Nandasiri.

Pandit Amaradeva has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Philippine Ramon Magsaysay Award (2001), Indian Padma Sri Award and Sri Lankan "President's Award of Kala Keerthi" (1986) and Deshamanya Award (1998). He has also represented Sri Lanka in many forums including the UNESCO 1967 Manila Symposium, and composed the melody for theMaldives national anthem, Gaumii salaam^[1], at the request of British Queen Elizabeth II in 1972.

NANDA MALANI 

 who traditional style Singer is well known the queen of classical , contemporary Sinhala music and the most talented and much loved female singer in Sri Lanka.^[1] She has gained her praise and popularity and won her 11 Sarasaviya Awards and 8 Presidential Awards for Best Singer .

     ANANDA SAMARAKOON

 Samarakoon was born Egodahage George Wilfred Alwis Samarakoon to a Christian family in Padukka, Sri Lanka on January 13, 1911. He had his primary and secondary education at Christian College,Kotte, presently known as Sri Jayawardenapura M.V.Kotte. His Sinhala Guru was Pandit D.C.P. Gamalathge. Later he served his Alma mater as a teacher of Music and Art. Samarakone left for the Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan in India to study art and music. After six months he abandoned his studies and returned to Sri Lanka, and changed his name toAnanda Samarakoon, embracing Buddhism.^[1] Then he served as the music teacher ofMahinda College, Galle from 1938 to 1942, And he wrote the national anthem of Sri Lanka.

He was very much influenced by Rabindranath Tagore while in India and his fascination and the desire to imitate the great Indian musician would go on to take him in the direction of creating a musical tradition for the Sri Lankan people.

     DHARMADASA WALPOLA

 Dharmadasa Walpola (1927–1983) was the most prominent Sri Lankan male playback singer of the 1950s and 1960s. Walpola was an accomplished musician adapt at playing the flute, harmonium, violin and tabla.

Walpola's father Palis Ayya worked with costumes for the Tower Hall theater. Walpola had to forgo his education at a young age to support his family and for a time built masks for the Sri Lankan army. At that time he won a role in Sirisena Wimalaweera's play Amma singing a virindu. He subsequently acted and sang in the play Wessanthara as well.

To master the flute, Walpola began taking lessons from Eddie Master and then attended R. A. Chandrasena's Academy. Chandrasena was impressed by Walpola's ability to sing and after auditioning several songs with harmonium accompaniment, sent a good word to the Radio Ceylon broadcaster Thevis Guruge. Guruge gave Walpola a sarala gee programme with a duet partner G. S. B. Rani Perera.

Walpola debuted as a playback singer in the 1953 film Prema Tharangaya alongside his future wife Rita Genevi Fernando.^[2] Around 1956, Walpola married Fernando who subsequently adapted the name Latha Walpola. From his debut to the early 60s, Walpola dominated male playback singing in Sri Lankan cinema providing a counterpoint to the harsh Carnatic style of Mohideen Baig with his softer more melodic voice which lend itself to love songs. His best known work from this period include "Seeya Manamalaya" from Asoka (1955), "Amu Pitisareyeki" from Seda Sulang (1955), "Upatha Labaa" and "Suba Aasiri (Hanika Yamang)" from Mathalang (1955), "Surathalee" fromSurathalee (1956), "Katey Kiri Suwanda" from Sandesaya (1960), "Oya Belma" and "Waththe Wetunu Pol Athu" from Kurulu Bedda (1961) and "Man Mula Wela" from Deepashika (1963).

Walpola's dueting partners included Vivian de Silva Boralessa, Chitra Somapala ("Pem Suwandai") and Rukmani Devi in addition to Latha.

     GUNADASA KAPUGE

 Kapuge was born on August 7, 1945 either in the village of Miriswatte in the Galle District or in the tiny village of Thanabaddegama in Elpitiya. He was the second of eight children. He went to school until grade five at Karandeniya Central College and later at Dharmasoka College in Ambalangoda, where he initially studied science before switching to music. In 1963, he left Haywood college of music, where he was studying at that time, to follow a degree course inIndia. In the late 1960s, Kapuge joined the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. 1969 he was worked as a Operational Assistant and 1975 was a Programme Producer. in 1981 he appointed as a Raja Rata" Broadcasting Corporation - Director Music and Director Rajarata Broadcasting Service.

Kapuge released his first song "Daesa Nilupul Thema" in 1973, which became an instant hit. After, Kapuge was selected as a Grade "A" vocalist by the Radio Ceylon and started his three decade long music career. The First Stage Drama for which he provided back-ground music was "Thuranga Sanniya" by Sugathapala De Silva. Since then he provided background music for the highly popular musical "Tharawo Igilethi" by Lucien Bulathsinhala and several other popular dramas. His first movie back-ground music gig was for the Stanley Perera's "Sandha." He married Prema Withanage in 1978.

         NARADA  DISASEKARA

 Narada Disasekara (June 1933 – 19 May 2010) was a Sri Lankan classical singer. He won the first Sarasaviya Award for Male Playback Singing in 1964 for his duet "Galana Gangaki Jeevithe" with a young Nanda Malini for Ranmuthu Duwa.

Disasekara's best known song is "Etha Gaw Ganan Durin" from Getawarayo. His son Saranga is an actor.

Disasekara died on 19 May 2010 at the age of 76.

MILTON  MALLAWARACHCHI 

 Milton Mallawarachchi (1945 – 1998) was a popular Sri Lankan musician.

Mallawarachchi has sung songs by Karunaratne Abeysekera, K. D. K. Dharmawardena,Premakirthi de Alwis, Clarence Wijewardena, Upali Danawalawithana, Dharmasiri Gamage, Ajantha Ransinghe, Shelton Weeraratne, Kularatne Ariyawansa, Ananda Padmasiri, Vernon Perera, Chitrananda Abeysekera, Bandara Wijetunga and Vijaya Ramanayake.

Mallawarachchi completed his early education at Ananda Sastralaya Kotte.^[1] He was a member of a short lived group called the Sakyans^[2]and subsequently the La Ceylonians. Mallawarachchi's vocals on the latter group's "Daha Duke Vidyahala" and "Mal Ravamal" led to his discovery by producer Patrick Corea. Kurera offered to record the young vocalist on four songs "Oruwaka Pawena," "Ran Kuduwak Oba Sadu," "Sansare Sewanale" and "Mangale Neth Mangale." The songs were released on the Exvee label as a 78 rpm record in 1969 and gave Mallawarachchi his first popular hit with "Oruwaka Pawena."

Well known music Composer Patrick Denipitiya gave Milton Mallawarachichi's songs a modern touch with Songs Like "Ivuru Tala" , "Ma ha Eda", "Ma nisa Oba" . "Sayura theredhi" on which helped him to become a huge success.

In 1974 renown musician Clarence Wijewardena composed the songs "Gana Andure," "Eda Rae," "Mata Men Ohutada" and "Maga Thotadhii" for a Mallawarachchi EP release on Gemstone. Wijewardena would also write "Awasara Natha Mata," "Sulange Pawe," "Thaniwi Sitinai," and "Prem Raja Thahane" for Milton.

One of Mallawarachchi's most successful songs was "Mai Gaha Yata" done under the production of Melroy Dharmaratne in 1976. It was released on the Silverline label as an EP backed with "Ran Mudu" and two songs ("Andanne Epa" and "Ma Samanalayak") by Shiromie Fernando.

Mallawarachchi released one of the first music audio cassette's in Sri Lanka under the guidance of Wijewardene in 1978. It was titledAnytime-Anywhere and was on the Tharanga label.

Mallawarachchi debuted as a playback singer in the 1971 film, Poojithayo. In 1984, he was honored with a best playback singer award at the Sarasawiya Awards for "Kendan Yannam," a song from Sena Samarasinghe's Aethin Aethat. He was the main male play back singer in the movie "Senakeliya" which was a box office hit in 1974 where he sang songs like "Reyak Upadda" and Duets with Indrani Perera "Samanala Renak Se" and also with Victor Ratnayake and CD Fonseka to the Music Direction of Music Director Patrick Denipitiya.

Mallawarchchi was a popular live attraction; at a time when there was no TV in Sri Lanka, his appearances at variety shows sponsored by the Ceylon Tobacco Company drew huge crowds.^[3] Mallawarachchi appeared alongside the Super Golden Chimes at the Super Concert 101/102 organized by Wijewardene.

He died on March 10, 1998.^[4]

Mallawarachchi was married to Swarna Mallawarchchi, and had four children: Ranil, Harshini, Nadija, and Tharaka.^[4] Ranil Mallawarachchi, the eldest, continues in his father's tradition. "Etha epita dura akase...swarnwarna tharuwak wilase" song written by Karunarathne Abeysekara for Milton dedicated to his wife Swarna.