by Vidhurinda Samaraweera
Introduction
Sri Lanka, a beautiful tropical island famously known as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean,” is a melting pot of diverse cultures. Sri Lanka's history is a captivating journey through time, marked by a rich blend of ancient civilizations, colonial influences, and a struggle for independence. The island's chronicles date back over 2,500 years, witnessing the rise and fall of great kingdoms, which left behind awe-inspiring archaeological wonders. In the 16th century, the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and later the British, made their indelible marks during the colonial era. This period brought significant cultural, economic, and social changes. The island, then known as Ceylon, gained its independence from British rule in 1948.
Sri Lanka faced the challenges of a prolonged civil conflict that lasted until 2009. The nation has since made remarkable strides towards reconciliation, development, and fostering a sense of unity among its diverse communities. In more recent times, Sri Lanka faced a severe economic crisis which led to political instability.
The citizens overthrew the previous administration, and the new leaders are now progressively restoring political and economic stability. Today, Sri Lanka stands as a resilient and vibrant nation, where the echoes of its storied past can be heard in the ancient ruins, colonial architecture, and the enduring traditions of its people.
History of Music in Sri Lanka
Mainly, four communities live harmoniously in Sri Lanka: the Sinhalese, the Tamils, the Muslims, and the Burghers. The cultural tapestry of this island is rich and diverse, with these communities sharing a deep-rooted connection. Three European nations settled in Sri Lanka since the 16th century. The Portuguese took control over the coastal areas of the island in 1505, and the Dutch in 1638. Finally, the British took full control over the island in 1815 until the island became independent in 1948. With the intermingling of Sinhalese and Tamil customs with Western influences, including the embrace of Catholicism and Anglicanism, Western European music integrated itself into the rich tapestry of Sri Lankan culture.
Long before Europeans ever set foot on the island, the Sri Lankans nurtured profound bilateral relationships with their nearest neighbor, India, and a handful of other nations, including China and Rome. Sri Lanka bloomed as a vibrant hub of international trade, where it was customary for Sri Lankan royals to unite in matrimony with princesses hailing from distant empires. Historical wars with various Indian Kings resulted in a fusion of Indo-Lankan musical traditions, leaving an indelible mark within the long established local musical traditions.
The earliest signs of musical instruments in Sri Lanka date back to the time of King Ravana’s rule (2554 – 2517 BC). According to the tale of Ramayana and the legend of Ravana (which are intertwined with mythology), the King himself played a small, bowed string instrument called the Ravanahatta. It is a forgotten Sri Lankan artifact, players of which can be found in some regions of India such as Rajasthan in the modern days. Some historians believe that the Ravanahatta is an ancestor of the modern violin.
Traditional Wind Instruments
Conch shells are an important part of Sinhalese Buddhist rituals in Sri Lanka. In the Sinhalese culture it is called Hakgediya. They are mostly played during grand ceremonies. It is made out of the shell of a large marine gastropod mollusk. Usually, single-note conch shell horn calls are played above the rich sound of polyrhythms played on Sri Lankan drums. It adds to the grandiosity of the festivities.
See video: Dances of Sri Lanka Blowing of the conch shell (youtube.com)
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Highly-decorated conch shell on display in the National Museum of Sri Lanka
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Painting in the short tunnel entrance to the Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy.
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Decorated conch shells were even used in the King’s court. They were used as a kind of trumpet in the traditional/ritualistic music which has been somewhat influenced by Indian music.
Kombuwa is another instrument found in Sri Lanka which looks like a straightened natural horn. Surprisingly, no sound is produced using the instrument and it is only used as a ceremonial mace. Kompu originally is a Tamil word referring to a musical animal horn. Kombuwa in Sinhalese stands for the non-initial letter ‘E’ in the Sinhalese script. The name given to the instrument suggests that it is curved much like the shape of the letter; yet, obviously, these instruments are not circular like a French horn.
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Sinhalese Kombuwa
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Kombuwa, a letter in the Sinhalese script
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Young Sri Lankan Kombu bearer at the Kandy Parade
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Sri Lankan Horanewa player
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The Horanewa is a reed instrument which is sometimes referred to as the Temple Clarinet. It has a sound closer to that of the oboe and uses a quadruple reed to produce sound. Traditionally it was made out of buffalo horn and brass. The instrument has inherent intonation problems that only a true master can overcome. There are six holes on the body of the instrument that help cover the entire melodic range of the instrument. Horanewa is typically used in Buddhist temples and rituals.
See video: (1) Horanewa | හොරණෑව | Traditional Big Sound | Sri Lanka - YouTube
A Brief History of French Horn Playing in Sri Lanka
As explained by the veteran horn player and conductor, Mr. Manilal Weerakoon, prior to the 1970s, the only horn players in Sri Lanka were in the military bands and the Salvation Army band, the formation and training of which is unknown. The Colombo School of Music situated in Borella had a wind band which included some horn players. All brass players in such wind bands, church bands, and the few school bands and orchestras, were trained by servicemen. Instruments and accessories were not available for sale in the country and had to be specifically obtained from abroad.
The Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka usually drew its players from the Navy Band. Mr. Weerakoon was the first non-serviceman to join the orchestra on a regular basis. The Symphony Orchestra had a junior orchestra and there were only 2 players including Mr. Weerakoon and one de Seram (who was primarily a violinist). Occasionally, visiting amateur horn players would join if a concert was scheduled during their stay in the country. Several professional horn players, the likes of Barry Tuckwell, also performed in Sri Lanka many years ago.
Horn Players and Methods
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Sri Lankan Horn player and teacher, Manilal Weerakoon
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There have been several notable Sri Lankan horn players who excelled in the instrument. Manilal Weerakoon is widely considered the foremost French horn player and teacher in Sri Lanka. He was Principal Horn of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka, the now defunct Lanka Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Chamber Music Society of Colombo. Reflecting on his formative years, the training he received as a schoolboy in the Chapel Choir helped him immensely to develop his horn playing ability. Moreover, since he was left-handed, the horn had a strong calling to him. Playing a string instrument or another wind instrument was a formidable task. Hence, the horn was THE right fit. According to Mr. Weerakoon, there were no teachers available in Sri Lanka 50 years ago when he started learning the horn, making him a one-of-a-kind, self-taught player. Occasionally he would meet visiting horn players from abroad from whom he would gain valuable insights.
He went on to teach many young players, including myself, who took up the horn either as primary or secondary instrument.
His methods of teaching were by no means mechanical or purely theoretical. Although he did not refer to a single handbook as such, he considered The Art of French Horn Playing, by the great American pedagogue Philip Farkas, a great tool. His golden words of wisdom still ring in my ears: “Always hear the note in your head before you play.” He always emphasized mastering the fundamentals before attempting complex technique. He would often remind us to "crawl before we walk," meaning we shouldn't rush into difficult material before we have fully understood the basics. He also cautioned us about the long-term problems that can arise from learning incorrect techniques, which could require many years to unlearn, if we are fortunate enough to even recognize the mistake.
Mr. Weerakoon was then a Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Sri Lanka (NYO), and he was the Orchestra and Band Director at my alma mater, St. Thomas’ College (also known as the School by the Sea), which was an Anglican Church school for boys in the heart of Mount Lavinia in Sri Lanka. I had the privilege of meeting him every weekend at NYO rehearsals, and on weekdays before and after school during rehearsals there.
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Manilal Weerakoon in rehearsal with his section in the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka in 2008
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His approach to teaching was pragmatic. The solo from the Overture to The Barber of Seville, the beautiful legato horn line at the end of Sir Edward Elgar’s Salut d’Amor for orchestra, and the solo from Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (which I was required to play in my formative years in the NYO) bring back beautiful memories, as I learned subtle techniques that helped me deliver what he expected as a conductor. Being a horn player himself, he was rather difficult to please. Nevertheless, his character was such that he never scolded or insulted his students; instead, he would make an entertaining but light-hearted comment during rehearsals to paint a picture to which we could better relate. As horn player cum conductor, the most important lesson he instilled in his students was, “Music is always the hero, and always be loyal to the composer.”
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Manilal Weerakoon conducting the Colombo Philharmonic Choir
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Current Trends
Sri Lanka has seen the formation and fall of a few amateur orchestras, and it is fair to say that these orchestras have produced the most capable horn players in Sri Lanka. The tri-forces bands have remained one of the main feeders of horn players for these orchestras. They are not necessarily of high standards but are populated by fairly capable men. The number of female horn players who have played consistently for over a year is only a handful. Horn players are rarely found in school bands simply due to the lack of knowledge among school band instructors. Thus, the French horn is not a very popular instrument in the school band community.
The inherent playing difficulties, high cost of purchasing, and the lack of teachers exacerbates the popularity issue. As a result, horns are not readily available for purchase in music stores since the demand is low, and the few instruments found on store shelves are poor quality. Not only instruments, day-to-day essentials such as rotor oils, valve oils, and grease are not readily available for purchase. Moreover, the range of mouthpieces readily available are limited. Players who desire special equipment are left with three options: travelling abroad to purchase, requesting a friend to bring the desired product when traveling to Sri Lanka, or, the worst-case scenario, blindly purchasing online.
The National Youth Orchestra (NYO) of Sri Lanka (est. in 1992) is a state-funded program run by the Ministry of Education. The Japanese government donated a plethora of instruments to the NYO on two occasions during the last 30 years including numerous horns. The purpose of the program is to uplift Classical music in Sri Lanka by providing the youth of Sri Lanka an opportunity to take up an instrument and learn the art of orchestral performance. This program is especially beneficial to those who cannot afford their own instruments. The orchestra lends instruments as long as the student is a part of the orchestra. The NYO permits its students to join other orchestras as well. Therefore, the program is mutually beneficial to the other orchestras operating in the country.
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National Youth Orchestra of Sri Lanka (2022)
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There are no professional orchestras in Sri Lanka. The Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka (SOSL) is the oldest orchestra in the country but remains an amateur orchestra with only a few professional players participating. The majority of its members are individuals from varied backgrounds who engage in performances primarily for the sheer pleasure of it. The Chamber Music Society of Colombo (CMSC) was established many years later, and they cater to smaller audiences focusing on chamber music (as the name suggests). They mostly perform Baroque music as it lacks the range of instruments in a symphony orchestra. The Gustav Mahler Society of Colombo (GMSC) is the latest addition (established in 2018). It is the only Mahler Society in the world, recognized by the International Mahler Foundation, with its own orchestra. This orchestra is considered the maverick among its peers as its intent is to establish a professional orchestra in the country.
All of these orchestras share players in common, but they have distinct governing bodies. The classical music community in Sri Lanka is quite small and mostly condensed in Colombo. Classical music in Sri Lanka continues to develop and the biggest challenge is promulgating classical music by taking it outside the capital to more rural areas.
What the Future Holds
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The Horn section of the Gustav Mahler Orchestra of Colombo (2023)
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During my school years, many young individuals who initially chose the French horn for its prestige often switched to another instrument that offered quicker results due to their lack of patience. This was frequently driven by pressure from parents or the school to quickly master a song or two on the instrument in order to join the school band or orchestra, or from a personal realization that their chosen instrument was not a good fit. This trend significantly contributed to the lack of a large pool of players in Sri Lanka in the past. However, the landscape has since evolved, with a greater number of young musicians persisting with the French horn at least through high school. Some of these individuals even join amateur orchestras, offering crucial leadership to these ensembles.
Even though classical music has existed in Sri Lanka for well over six decades, until recently the standards of performance have not improved, and professional attitudes have not changed significantly. With the advent of new contenders in the industry, it is now progressing. However, the industry remains noticeably small compared to the island’s pop music culture.
Given Sri Lanka's unique socio-cultural landscape, any organization, performer, or teacher is likely to encounter numerous challenges. Chief among these is the task of dismantling preconceptions about classical music when introducing this centuries-old art form to local audiences. Indian classical music and local popular music have deeply permeated the media and the consciousness of the general public, which can lead to resistance towards Western classical music. Some individuals may perceive classical music as exclusive to the English-speaking community and incompatible with Sri Lankan culture. As such, it is crucial that classical music is introduced not through force, but in gradual stages, blending its repertoire with local music. The use of fusion music can also serve as an effective conduit for familiarizing local audiences with classical music. Their reluctance stems primarily from the lack of awareness of the capabilities of less-common instruments in the local music industry such as the horn.
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The Horn Quartet of the Gustav Mahler Orchestra of Colombo (2023)
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The A Team Horns Sri Lanka
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The A Team performing at Kuweni the Musical (June 2023)
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See videos: https://www.facebook.com/reel/325202316745099; Kuweni the Musical | A Cinematic Musical Experience by Charitha Attalage (youtube.com)
As a performer and teacher in Sri Lanka who constantly strives to learn, I have made it my mission to popularize the instrument among local audiences. Utilizing mass media could prove very effective where more people are then exposed to horn playing and the instrument becomes commonplace in mainstream media.
REMARKS
Horn playing in Sri Lanka continues to develop. It is a slow and steady process, the players’ labor of love. I extend an open invitation to any reader of this article who wishes to lend their support to kindly get in touch with me. Your assistance is deeply appreciated. I wish to thank Mike Harcrow, editor of the Horn and More newsletter, for giving me the opportunity to write about horn playing in my small island-home.
