16 November 2021 12:00 am Views - 1048
“Some people come into our lives
and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave Footprints in our heart
And we are never, ever the same”
To those who know him closely, “Ape luckiya,” “Lucky ayiya” , or “Ape Lucky” are some of the special, sentimental and fond nicknames they use when referring to Mr Lakshman Wijesekara. All of us know Lakshman as a popular and well known singer, and a composer of music, especially for Children. Further, Lakshman is an extremely talented, television drama producer, an advertising director and a singer of solo and duets which are very popular today. My good friend late“some”, (Mr Somapala Hewa Kapuge) always referred to Lakshman as “Ape lukiya” fondly whenever he spoke about him. My association with Mr. Lakshman Wijesekara, is more than 20 years, and I consider that it is a great privilege to write a short felicitation about Lakshman Wijesekara and his contribution to the Children’s Music in Sri Lanka.
His parents were late Mr. Walter Wijesekara and late Mrs. Daisy Geterue Wijesekara. He studied firstly at Anuradapura Central College and Maliyadeva College in Kurunegala. Later he got admission to Government College of Music (Hewood) and received his first appointment as a music teacher in Welusumana Vidyalaya. After a stint in Anuradhapura, Lakshman joined and taught music at Isipathana College and D. S. Senanayake Colleges in Colombo. In 1975, as an auditioned singer of Sri Lanka Broad Casting Cooperation, he earned popularity in Radio and Television in Sri Lanka. We, young and olds, still remember nostalgically his well-known “Muthu Ahurak Gayana” Children Song Programme aired by Sri Lanka Rupavahini Cooperation in the 80s.
Lakshman Wijesekara, definitely is very close to our hearts and minds, and one of the key figures in Children’s Music in Sri Lanka.
Lakshman was always very unassuming, extremely helpful to anyone who approaches him. In composing music, Lakshman Wijesekara is very innovative, creative and quite talented. He had talents for composing simple and catchy tunes for children whether it is music for Sinhala or English children’s songs. By composing music for my own children’s book and CD “ A for Apple” Lakshman has proved beyond doubt that language is not a problem or a barrier for a versatile music composer. When he composes music for children, he takes his own time, pays close attention to the meter, the tempo, the bar lines. Whatever, composition he has done so far, starting with his famous “Muthu Ahurak” gayana programme of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Cooperation, he has developed expertise in each of above basic rules of music compositions. As a musician close to children’s hearts, he can compose soothing music not only pleasing to the ears of children but we adults as well.
His love for humanity, socialism, equality and justice are powerfully brought out in the music and the words that are chosen
“Muthu Ahurak Rupavahini Gayana CD, Henry Jayasena’s “SuduSiyage Lama Gee” and my own “Sindu Kiyamu Ganan Karamu”, “Nawa Lowakata Lama Gee, and “A for Apple” are some of his best masterpieces he has contributed to the field of children’s music in Sri Lanka. His first CD, “Jana Udawa Lama Geetha” sponsored by the UNICEP shows that it should be looked or studied as one of the pioneering effort to combine value education and entertainment in Sri Lanka, which is also known as “Edutainment”. Most of his music compositions are light, cheerful and mesmerizing. Most of the music he has composed so far shows that Lakshman Wijesekara is one of the avant-garde composer of music when it comes to the music for children’s songs.
As writers for children we know that we need to activate or listen carefully and awake our “inner child, especially when we compose for children. I find that in all his music compositions for children, Lakshman makes use of his “inner child” who dictates how to compose innovative and joyful music for children. Since children’s enthusiasm is infectious, one who composes music has to be careful in order to get children to throw their bodies and souls to the rhythm and words of the songs they hear. Lakshman is fully aware of this physiological and psychological need, and catches imagination of all the children, holding their attention into all his music. Repetition and rhyme are essential ingredients of Lakshman’s own style. Listen to the music of this song he has included in the his “Muthu Ahurak Gayana programme”
His love for humanity, socialism, equality and justice are powerfully brought out in the music and the words that are chosen. The fast beats he has chosen tell us the urgency we should have for bringing a social change.
Most of the music he has composed support children’s learning and emotional development as well as help strengthen memory skills. When it comes to composing of music for children, Lakshman knew what instruments needed to be chosen in order to match the words, how they should be played - not too loud or too soft in order to bring out the meanings that are manifest or latent, how various instruments should be amplified keeping acoustic and rhythmic rules , melodic rules, the studio sound quality in relation to voice of children. Most of the music he has composed for children’s songs uses traditional musical instruments in combination with western instruments, bringing authenticity to the compositions. Some of the music he has composed with appropriate words bring out his love for the poor and need for social change. I like to end this short felicitation by quoting the verses of another song from the “Muthu Ahurak CD”. However, I have slightly improvised the last words. Lakshman Wijesekara is “Punchiayagepunchi Loke Thawathawa lassana karanna lankaweaptalebunu, anagithilinayak”
May you live long! Chiratu Jayan!. Lakshman Wijesekara’s contribution to the field of children’s music in Sri Lanka is still to be assessed.