by Vidhurinda Samaraweera
In the busy month of March, the horn community in Sri Lanka, experienced a significant milestone. Despite the island's long history of orchestral music, stretching over six decades, no Sri Lankan orchestra had ever performed a complete Mahler symphony. The country has been home to numerous distinguished classical musicians, some of whom received their education in renowned conservatories and music schools around the world. However, the orchestral landscape has remained somewhat unchanged. This stagnation is not due to a lack of expertise or knowledge, but rather a lack of vision. Established organizations have clung to their historical ideals of elitism and isolation, thereby maintaining an amateur outlook. However, the formation of the Gustav Mahler Orchestra of Colombo in 2018 has provided a beacon of hope for passionate local musicians.
Under the leadership of Maestro Srimal Weerasinghe, the orchestra made history by premiering Gustav Mahler's Fourth Symphony on March 16th, 2024, at the Lionel Wendt Theatre in Colombo, and the concert was aptly named "The Heavenly Life."
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The Gustav Mahler Orchestra of Colombo at the Premiere conducted by maestro Srimal Weerasinghe (Image courtesy: Sagara Lakmal de Mel Photography)
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The performance featured the talented Sri Lankan mezzo-soprano, Rachel Halliday, who is currently a vocal teacher at the Royal Opera House of Oman. This was not just a Sri Lankan first, but also a South Asian premiere since Mahler's Fourth Symphony had never been performed in the region before.
I had the honor of leading the horn section as principal in this momentous premiere. My colleagues in the section were Jude Fernando, Senira Prematilleke, Ashan Madhusanka, and Thihela Somasiri. It was a dynamic section in which the youngest member was just 13 years old and the oldest 58 years old. Young Thihela is still in high school. Senira has left high-school and is expecting entry into college. Ashan is a Western music teacher based in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. Jude is a retired serviceman now working as a freelance musician. Most notably, we are all Sri Lankan.
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(left to right) Vidhurinda Samaraweera, Jude Fernando, Thihela Somasiri, Ashan Madhusanka, Senira Prematilleke
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The concert was attended by numerous musicians and music enthusiasts, and the performance was met with widespread acclaim. I am confident that the horn section’s performance has set a new standard for future performances in Sri Lanka.
In the heart of the Indian subcontinental region is an island nation that has been instrumental in the growth and development of horn playing. The reason is simple: Sri Lanka is home to a passionate community of capable players who are eager to learn. The Indo-Sri Lankan region, a place of rich cultural heritage, is home to a single professional orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), established in 2006. Interestingly, this orchestra's horn section is exclusively composed of foreign musicians, primarily Europeans. While the horn is occasionally featured in military bands, its presence among locals is rare. This has led to a unique situation where the demand for horn players is significantly higher in India than in Sri Lanka. As a result, Indian orchestras often extend invitations to their Sri Lankan counterparts for concerts.
Collaborations with horn players and communities beyond our region present the opportunity to bring a wealth of global expertise and knowledge to our region. By establishing sustainable educational platforms, we can share the rich knowledge we acquire from these collaborations with a wider audience, thereby opening our region to the world. As we stand on the brink of this exciting journey, let the regular reports to come serve as stepping stones to establishing a thriving hub for horn performance and education in South Asia. This is not just a dream, but a vision that we are bringing to life, one note at a time.
Let us, together, create a future where the horn sounds echo throughout our region, inspiring generations to come. Stay tuned for more updates in the forthcoming editions of Horn and More. For more information on the exciting developments in my region, feel free to reach out to me at vidhurinda@gmsc.lk.
