Melody masters Sulara Nanayakkara and Johann Pieris are set to delight an audience with a Violin and Piano recital on the 13th of August 2024, at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, as a duo for the first time. The programme will feature atypical classical music works including sonatas by Mendelssohn, Paganini and Hindemith, along with shorter works by Kreisler, Bloch, Debussy and de Falla in hopes of exhibiting the realm of emotional depth and unique versatility of these instruments.

The recital will stand as a fundraiser to assist the Ceylon Fellowship of Service (CFS) - Prithipura Home, Wattala. Established in 1962 as a boys’ home, the CFS Prithipura Home primarily inhabited just four residents who were cared for by house mothers. Today, it is home to more than 60 differently-abled male and female residents of varying ages, with some who had spent their childhood there and are now well over 60 years old. The Home is an approved charity under the Inland Revenue Act of 2017 and has grown to offer a safe space for the well-being and rehabilitation of residents who require special care and attention due to mental, physical or other disabilities. They focus on supporting individuals to develop their own personalities, skills and talents and are facilitated by the cooperation of volunteers from the community as well as various sources such as schools, higher education training institutions, companies and caretakers. 

Behind the evening’s musical expertise

Embarking on his musical journey as early as age five, Sulara began his violin studies under the tutelage of Mr. Lal Perera and further studied under the expert guidance of Mr. Lakshman Joseph de Saram and later on with Mr. Ananda Dabare in SriLanka.

Sulara holds an Associate and a Licentiate diploma for violin performance from the Trinity College of Music, London. In 2019, he also earned a Master of Music degree in Violin Performance from the Boyer College of Music and Dance, Temple University in Philadelphia, USA. At Boyer, he studied violin performance and string pedagogy under Prof. Meichen Barnes and Dr. Eduard Schmieder and chamber music under Prof. Lambert Orkis. Furthermore, Sulara had participated in chamber music masterclasses by The American String Quartet, Harlem String Quartet, Takács Quartet, Dover String Quartet and the Horzowski Piano Trio, while studying in the USA.

He has had the opportunity to participate in master classes conducted by luminaries such as Prof. Gottfried Schneider (Professor for Violin and Chamber music at the Düsseldorf Musikschüle, Andrew Sherwood (Professor for Violin at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London), Leo Phillips (ex-Leader of the London Philharmonic Orchestra [LPO]), Stefan Milenkovich (Associate Professor for Violin at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Ashan Pillai (Professor for Viola at the ESMUC (Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya) and the Conservatoire Superior del Liceu in Barcelona, Stefan Jackiw (concert violinist) and David Kim (Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra).

In 2021, Sulara was awarded an Honorary Fellow award (FAGM) by the Australian Guild of Music (AGM) in Australia, for his experience in violin teaching and performance in the United States and in Sri Lanka. He is also a lecturer and an examiner for the degree of Bachelor of Music at AGM, worldwide.

Additionally, Sulara is a Grammy Nominated recording artist, as the recording of the “Constant Renaissance” he was involved as a violinist was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards, “Best Instrumental Composition” and “Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella”.

While stationed in the US, he appeared in concert halls such as the Verizon hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Temple Performing Arts Center, Rock Hall recital auditorium in Philadelphia and Alice Tully hall at the Lincoln centre for the Performing Arts in New York. In 2023, the Con Brio Foundation in India invited Sulara to adjudicate the violin category of the 13th annual nationwide competition held at the National Centre for the Performing Arts(NCPA) in Mumbai. Currently, Sulara performs as the Principal Second Violinist of the Chamber Music Society of Colombo.

The evening’s pianist, Johann Peiris, is known to Colombo’s music industry as a keyboardist and has collaborated on numerous musical projects ranging from piano-vocal recitals, chamber music, contemporary musical theatre and solo appearances with the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka and the Chamber Music Society of Colombo.

As a chamber musician, he has performed in Europe as part of the Vianden Chamber Music Festival and has also been involved with the Summer Voice Festival at the Manhattan School of Music as a collaborative pianist.  His principal teachers include Ramya De Livera - Perera, Nathan Hess and Adam Tendler for piano, with Sureka Amerasinghe and Peshali Yapa for flute and voice. 

Johann holds both Bachelor's and Master’s degrees in Sociology from Ithaca College and New York University respectively, where he received further training and exposure to music. He has been involved in many musical productions, most notably ‘Cinderella’, ‘Fun Home’ and 'I love You, You're Perfect, Now Change' and has collaborated on experimental music projects for festivals such as Colomboscope and directed music for independent video installations. 

A conversation with Sulara and Johann allowed us to hear their thoughts on partaking in this event and their motives for supporting the CFS Prithipura Home through the proceeds of their recital. 

Q. What can we expect from your upcoming recital?

This is going to be the first time we’ll be performing in front of a large audience as a duo together. We’ve always wanted to play music that hasn’t always been largely performed in Sri Lanka to attract listeners. The pieces we have prepared for the recital are quite different to what the public is usually exposed to, so it will be a premium performance bearing variety. By shedding light on these pieces, we would like people to enjoy our own interpretation of them.

Q. Considering this is a first for you, how do you feel?

We’re somewhat nervous but at the same time extremely excited since this is such a special opportunity! As an artist in Colombo, you have to venture out and create your own opportunities and experiences. So, we’re looking forward to the platform this is going to provide us with and the mark it will make in our careers. 

Q. Would you say classical music is a genre that is age-specific?

Sulara: As a violin teacher, I’ve come across many youngsters who enjoy classical music throughout. With that in mind, I believe it’s a genre for someone of any age to enjoy. We’re hoping that this recital entices a wider audience so we can see new faces and introduce them to the beauty of classical music.

Q. What led you to the decision to participate in the fundraiser? 

Johann: When Sulara and I decided that we wanted to perform together in a concert, a mutual friend and supporter of ours, Mrs. de Saram introduced us to The Prithipura Home. We were aware that due to the recent economic crisis and further setbacks in the country, they were not holding up well. Since the Home has previously organised classical music concert fundraisers, it opened up the perfect opportunity for us.