In 1976, after leaving Anananda College, where he had a basic education in science,Religion, and Languages, Harsha entered the professional world of music in Sri Lanka. The veteran Sri Lankan Jazz pianist Cecil Rodrigo became his mentor in the field of Improvised music, and Jazz. He played for bands such as “Pioneers”, “Arabesque”, and “Amazing Grace”.
In 1978 Harsha started touring abroad with the highly acclaimed Pop/Dance band Prianthi and Lotus, led by the brilliant Pop/Jazz guitarist Raja Jalaldeen and his wife Prianthi Manamperi. They performed in the Middle East, Kenya (Nairobi), Italy (Venice), and Kuwait City. While in Kuwait Harsha composed his first piece called “Serendipity” (later titled by Ranjani Mendis, wife of Nimal Mendis). In 1984 Nimal Mendis wrote the lyrics for “Sons and Lover”, Harsha’s first Pop composition, sung by Prianthi. A few months later he did the instrumentation for Nimal’s show in which thirty original songs by him and other Sri Lankan artistes were featured. It was during this time that Nimal introduced Harsha to Sarath Fernando, the veteran Sri Lankan Film Music director. He in turn introduced Harsha to Dhamma Jagoda (who was directing a production of the Sarasaviya Film Festival), to perform Nimal Mendis’ “Kandyan Dance”. In a new arrangement of this piece Harsha used Piano, Bass Guitar (Jude Pieris ), Western Drums (Hemapala Gallage)(his debut as a drummer), Mandolin (Anthony Surendra), and six Getabera players, the last being the most unexpected! The fresh sound of the Piano played percussively with local drums received a standing ovation from the audience!Though the “Purists” frowned upon the idea of building on tradition, the performance brought very favorable comments from Film Director Tissa Abeysekera and actor Vijaya Kumaratunga. More than ten years later Harsha was engaged by Tissa to compose the music for his productions “Pitagamkarayo”(Tele Drama) and “Sun and the Moon Stone”(Documentary Film). In Pitagamkarayo Harsha used the ‘Horanava’ or local folk Oboe, to play properly composed melody lines.
On the 6th of September 1987, Lalanath de Silva conducted the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka at the 5th Savasangeetha Anniversary held at the BMICH that featured music by Sri Lankan artistes, orchestrated by Harsha Makalande. ‘Svarasanga Vannama’ which is a work for Symphony Orchestra, Piano and Local Drums had it’s main theme performed here. The completed work had it’s debut on the 29th of May 1992 at Lady’s College Colombo. It was performed by the Colombo Symphony Orchestra (now The Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka), under the baton of Dr. Earl de Fonseka with Ramya de Livera Perera at the Piano and Ravibandu Vidyapathi on local drums. The work has been the subject of post graduate research both here and abroad (Maya Abeywikrama in Sri Lanka).
Around 1988 the foundation for the band KHROME was laid down, and was featured regularly at the Colombo Hilton.Since then Harsha Makalande has made his entry into Drama and Film Music.
AWARDS & TITLES
1986 TEEN
PAGE AWARD GIVEN BY THE
1987 THE
1993 STATE
DRAMA FESTIVAL AWARD BEST MUSIC - IN – UKDANDU
GINNA
1996 CRITICS AWARD (FIPRESCI) FOR MUSIC DIRECTION - IN –ANANTHA RATRIYA (Director-Prasanna Vithanage)
1997 BUNKA PRIZE – GIVEN BY THE JAPANESE EMBASSY
1998 CRITICS AWARD (FIPRESCI) FOR MUSIC DIRECTION - IN - PAVURU VALALU (Director-Prasanna Vithanage)
1999 OCIC - BEST MUSIC DIRECTION – IN - PAVURU VALALU - (Director-Prasanna Vithanage)
1999 PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC DIRECTION
2002 SARASAVIYA AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC – IN - ASWESUMA (Director- Bennett Rathnayake)
2002 SIGNIS AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC DIRECTION- IN - ANANTHA RATRIYA (Director-Prasanna Vithanage)
2004 SUMATHI TELE AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC – IN - RANMEHESI
2005 KALASURI TITLE
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