‘Ran Dorin Enna Adare – Handawala Malsara’

The A Grade songstress who sang this evergreen hit sung about 50 years ago and hundreds of other gems like Anothaththa Wila, Beddapura Sudu Redda Wage, Adara Charika and Senkadagalapura, is on the verge of completing 60 years in music.

But this senior artiste Visharada Amitha Wedisinghe who has also served as a music teacher for several decades, is yet to receive due recognition in the country’s media.

In probably the first interview with an English newspaper, Amitha Wedisinghe said she hoped to launch a new album next year to mark her 60^th year in music.

“I started singing early in 1954 for an amateur Radio Ceylon programme before moving on to the Lama Pitiya segment, largely due to the association we had with veteran Ananda Samarakoon who was related to my mother. His brother Berty Samarakoon encouraged me to sing. Even my mother could recite poems well. It was Berty Samarakoon who took me to Radio Ceylon which was the sole anticipation for any singer,” she said.

 

What is your view about new music trends today?

“Well, unlike during our days, it has improved manifold in terms of technology, but I wonder if the commitment levels have risen to such heights. In the good old days we all worked in harmony for the love of arts. Money was not our priority. We got the songs that were to be aired on Radio Ceylon just hours before the programme. There were no recording facilities then, so we had to sing them live. I was just 8 when I sang for the amateur programme.

I was so small that Laddie Ranasinghe who presented the show had to lift me up to the microphone. My first song was ‘Itipandama Thaniwee’. Then I joined the Lama Pitiya of Sarath Wimalaweera,” she said.

 

Your schooldays…

I studied at Saddharmodaya in Kirulapone and later joined Anula Vidyalaya Nugegoda.  I completed the Visharada exam in 1968 and served in the Sinhala division of All India Radio where P. Welikala was a director. Ten years after completing the final exam at the Government Music school I took up a teaching appointment.

I taught at Tewatte Maha Vidyalaya and Ashoka Vidyalaya. Initially my husband, veteran music director the late Victor Dalugama did not like me teaching.

 

 

Milestones in your music career…

I did my solo musical concert ‘Amitha Gee’ in 1983 and 1995. I hope to do one to coincide with my 60^th year in music next year. Most of the senior artistes in the music field have been my colleagues.  I also sang for films like ‘Hariyanakota Ohoma Thamai’ and ‘Doctor Susantha’.

I launched several music albums and the last I released was a CD titled ‘Ran Sanda Madalak’ for the 2600 Sambuddhatwa Jayanthi. It was produced by Vijaya Ramanayake.

 

Your family..

My daughter and two sons studied music and they can sing too. I am totally against anyone singing songs of others and eventually distorting it. Original songs should be left in their original forms.

 

Gratitude…

I am grateful to Berty Samarakoon, my teachers at the Government Music School, Shanthi Geethadewa, Lionel Ranwala, P. Jayasekara, Hudson Samarasinghe, Pandit W. D. Amaradewa, Victor Dalugama, Karunaratne Abeysekara and Sarath Wimalaweera who had been the biggest influences in my 60-year music career.

But besides the awards and prizes she had won, Amitha Wedisinghe has not received any national level recognition, not even a Kalabhushana title, perhaps because she does not go after anyone seeking favours. This is probably one reason why you can’t find even two lines about herself or her career if you search on google. But the evergreen songs she has sung will always linger in our memories for generations to come.

 

 

By Vasantha Wimalasinghe