Dinesh Subasinghe


Dinesh Subasinghe is a Sri Lankan composer, violinist, and music producer. He composed Karuna Nadee, a Buddhist oratorio, and re-introduced a lost, ancient musical instrument known as the ravanahatha to Sri Lanka. He is also a film and television composer whose works integrate western and eastern classical music with electronic music, Buddhist music, folk music, traditional orchestral arrangements, and world music genres. From 2002 to 2009 he led the pop classical band, Dee R Cee Members.
In 2015-2016 Dinesh received Sri Lankan attention for the film score of Ho Gaana Pokuna children movie. He has nominated for 10 film awards & won six awards out of that including Derana Film Awards, Presidential Film Awards, Hiru Golden Film Award & Signis Awards, in 2016-2017. In 2017 he became the most youngest composer to score music for 87 Tele-dramas for Sri Lankan TV.
Dinesh received the Toyp Award Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World in 2016 for his contribution to Sri Lankan arts. In 2018 he received the 'Asia Inspiration Award' at the 2nd south Asian youth summit.,.In 2019 he received the 'India Peace Prize' at the 3rd south Asian Youth summit in New Delhi India.
His music score for Sudu Andagena Kalu Awidin teledrama & music direction of 'Tone Poem' musical series became very popular in Sri Lanka.

Early life

Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1979, Subasinghe studied at St Peter's College, Colombo and Maris Stella College in Negombo. He began playing music at a very young age. He studied music under Samantha Amarajeewa, Janaki Disanayaka, Christal Luduwike, and Patrick Master at his school and in the city. He also studied with well-known professors of Sri Lankan music: B. Victor Perera, Mahinda Senivirathan, Kalani Perera,V.Hemapala Perera and Ananda Perera.
In 2001 Subasinghe started learning western classical music under Ashoka Jayawardhana, Hasini Halpe and Annada Dabare. Later they assisted Subasinghe in joining the Sri Lankan Symphony Orchestra.
Sri Lankan vocalist Angeline Gunathilaka and journalist Hemanalin Karunarathna introduced him to the Sri Lankan media in 2001 and soon after he became a member of composer Stanley Peiris's orchestra. Subasinghe worked under the Sri Lankan composer Premasiri Khemadasa for eight years and led the orchestra for Khemdasa's opera Agni. From 2001 to 2005 he was a member of Sri Lankan musical groups led by Dumindu Kadigamuwa, Harsha Bulathsinghala, Janananth Warakagoda, and Dilup Gabadamudalige.
He began composing for television and film in 2004 when cinema director Chandrathna Mapitigama selected him to compose music for his television series Hummane. In 2009 he received a scholarship from Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to study music under A. R. Rahman at the KM Music Conservatory in India. At the conservatory, he won the Best Student Award in the instrumental section for violin.

Career

Classical music

Subasinghe has composed a Buddhist oratorio, Karuna Nadee, as well as a symphony, trio, sonata, two a cappella pieces, a string quartet, a concerto for trumpet, and a piece for viola, The Dance of Salome. His string quartet, Night Before The Battle, was selected by Joel Thome's Orchestra of Our Time from 100 compositions from the world. He has composed music for 75 Sri Lankan television series, 13 films, and 16 stage plays and has re-introduced the ancient instrument, the ravanahatha, to Sri Lanka.
Subasinghe was the first Sri Lankan to write a cappella pieces with Sri Lankan national themes for SATB choirs, including "The Princes of the Lost Tribe" for Menaka De Shabandu's choir and "Ancient Queen of Somawathee" for Bridget Halpe's choir. These works were based on historical incidents described in the Mahawansa. The style of these compositions uses harmonies and a sound which is different from Western classical music traditions.

Alternative rock music

Subasinghe led the alternative rock music band Dee R Cee and introduced rock music into several Sri Lankan television series. Later, he composed music for Hithata Wahal wimi and Sarangana, television dramas for Sirasa TV.
Subasinghe is the first electric violin performer in Sri Lanka to combine Asian music techniques with rock music. He performed at the 2011 Share the Love concert and on Rupavahini TV in February 2013 with the song "Ra Roo".

YouTube record

Subasinghe released an alternative-rock song "" with Charmika Sirimanne and Ranushka Fernando in 2013, along with its music video created by Ranushka Fernando. It became the most viewed Sri Lankan music video on YouTube reaching more than 1.3 million viewers.

Musician, music director, actor, tours

Subasinghe has played as a musician for local and international music directors and composers, in 2002 Subasinghe recorded violin caprice to portrait Musila in Guthila balade play composed by Diliup Gabadamudalige.Guthila's violin has performed by Subasinghe's Teacher & a veteran violinist Kalani perera. Subasinghe worked for Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka from 2003 to 2005 as a Violinist. He was a member of the South Indian Cinema Musicians Union.
He has released four CDs: Rawan Nada, Feel My Heart, Sihina Wasanthayak soundtrack and Karuna Nadee.
Subasinghe's first professional acting appearance was in Parapura by Cletus Menids in 2012.He performed a leading role on his music video and played King Herod Antipas in the 2013 Paasku television series by Prem Fernando.
officially Subasinghe directed music in signis Awards ceremony on 2017, 2018 and 2019, in 2017 the ceremony started while he conducting a musical score with a large symphony orchestra and a choir at Nelumpokuna Theater Colombo.
Dinesh performed a series of concerts with Famous Sri Lankan pop Bands Marians and Gypsies in 2019–2020.

Tours with Sri Lankan Artists

With South Indian Cine Musicians
in 2009 during the academic stay in India Dinesh was invited to play with the South Indian Cine Musicians Union. He has been selected by late Das Daniel in KM Music conservatory. Dinesh got the temporally Membership of the Union and played for many south Indian & Bollywood movie background music scores as a violinist. In this time he met many veteran string players from Madras String Quartet M. Kalyan, N.S. Narasiman, Shekar.
Rhyme Skool with Katrina Kaif in KM Music Conservatory Chennai
Dinesh worked with his former principal A.R. Rahman and Katrina Kaif on her CD Rhyme Skool with Katrina Kaif produced by Sa Re Ga Ma Productions in India in 2009–2010.
Share the love Concert with Korea
Subasinghe participated in a joint Sadaham Sevana musical concert with Korea and India on 4 July 2011. He composed Mist of a Mountain, a tribute piece for Eastern Asia and has participated in many religious music projects around South Asia.
Yanni South American Videography team invitation
In 2011 one of the largest South American online society for Yanni has invited Dinesh to make a music theme for Yanni as an online tribute,
in 2012 his music was published in a web radio program from USA.,
later in 2013 three thousand fans of Yanni over the world made a birthday wishing DVD & president of the society Tina Rayn requested Dinesh to create the music.
O'Connor Method In New York
In 2015 and 2016 Dinesh participated in the O'Connor Method Summer Camp in New York which was conducted by well-known violinist Mark O'Connor. At the camp Dinesh impressed O'Connor and the participants when he performed American music with his Ravanahatha.
& Maggie O'Connor During his Ravanahatha performance in New York 2016
AGBU in Armenia
Dinesh participated an Armenian music program In Armenia which was organised by AGBU in 2016.,
'TREE'-A Musical Journey From Portugal To Asia '
Dinesh has taken part in an audio album which was a collaboration with Portugal's iconic pop band Cla. The track is part of an album called 'TREE-A Musical Journey From Portugal To Asia'. TREE is a project that has been collaborating with Asian musicians and Portugal. The Portuguese Musicians are Cla, Peixe, Amelia Muge and Old Jerusalem, from Asia there are Indus Creed, Mangka, Dinesh Subasinghe, Sherine Tohamy, Mohammed Haddad, Mohichehra, Magic of Nomads. The album was produced by Portuguese producer David Valentim.
Chan & Tea Concert with Chinese Buddhist musicians
Dinesh has composed a ballad theme music for Sri Lankan act in the 'Chan and Tea' concert at Nelumpokuna in 2016, Choreography part has been created by Ravibandu Vidyapathi, the program was a presidential event to enhance spiritual development between China and Sri Lanka.
2nd South Asian Youth Summit
Dinesh has participated and performed with his Tone poem team in the South Asian Youth Summit held in Colombo with a participation of 35 countries. He has been invited by the president of the International Youth Service society Dr. K K Sing & Dinesh was honored in the ceremony with a token of appreciation for the contribution he has made in the event, also he won the Asia Inspiration award in this ceremony for his contribution to the south Asian youth music & Arts.

Dee R Cee Members

From 2002 to 2009 Subasinghe led the pop classical bands, Dee R Cee and Dinesh and Friends. The other members of Dee R Cee were singers Ranuka Sudam and Chandumal Samapriya. Their music encompassed multiple genres, including pop, alternative rock, cinema music, Hindustan classical, country and western, baila and 1970s music. Hemanalin Karunarathne invited Dee R Cee members to direct music for television programs on the Swarnawahini TV network including Hansa vila, Haa haa pura, Gee TV, and Christmas Night 2005. Dee R Cee members also appeared on Sirasa TV and Derana TV providing music for Looks Like, Auto Plus, Hansavilla, Mathra, and Christmas programmes in 2006 and 2007, and a Valentine's Day programme on Derana TV.

Ravanahatha

In 2007, Subasinghe introduced the ancient instrument the ravanahatha to Sri Lanka on his album Rawan Nada, comprising 12 instrumentals and background vocals. The ravanahatha is a bowed fiddle popular in Western India. It is believed to have originated among the Hela civilisation of Sri Lanka at the time of King Ravana. The bowl is made out of a cut coconut shell whose the mouth is covered with goat hide. A dandi, made of bamboo, is attached to this shell. The principal strings are one made of steel, the other made of horsehair. The long bow has jingle bells. It was believed to have been played by King Ravana and to be the first stringed instrument played with a bow. Subasinghe has proposed that the western violin evolved from the ravanahatha.
Ravana Nada is the first recording to include music played on the ravanahatha, although it had appeared in films as a visual item. On this CD Subasinghe performed with a slightly different version of the instrument. He also played it on A. R. Rahman's Rhyme Skool with Katrina Kaif, which was narrated by Kaif, and for some Indian Tamil movie music.,
In addition to the ravanahatha, Subasinghe is reviving another ancient bowed instrument called the kingiri.
Since 2007 Subasinghe has tried to discover the similarity between the Ravan and the Kingri. He has mentioned to the media that the instrument is discussed the book by Abele and Niederheitmann translated by John Broadhouse The Violin: Its History & Construction, Illustrated & described, From Many Sources published by William Reeves in London between 1900 and 1930.
In the same year he asked the Cultural Minister Mahinda Yapa Abewardhana to have his staff research the history of the ravanahatha. He feels that it is important that Sri Lanka claim the rights for this ancient fiddle.
Subasinghe's version of the ravanahatha has been referred to by Michael Ondaatje the Canadian novelist and poet who won the Booker Prize for his novel The English Patient. His brother, Sir Christopher Ondaatje, in an article on the ravanahatha, cites it as the mother of today's violin.
Subasinghe's Rawan Nada album set a record as the highest selling instrumental music CD in Sri Lanka. Released on the Tharanga label, owned by Vijay Ramanayaka, the CD was Dinesh's first solo album and the first solo album using this historical instrument. It sold 16,000 copies between the years 2009 and 2015.
Dinesh started using Ravanahatha for his musical compositions and became a modern composer who use this isolated instrument in cinematic and commercial music

Buddhist oratorio, ''Karuna Nadee''

In 2010, Subasinghe composed Karuna Nadee an oratorio for chorus and orchestra based on the life of Buddha. According to the Sri Lankan newspaper The Daily Mirror, it is the first Buddhist oratorio and the first musical work based on Buddha's life and philosophy since Premasiri Khemadasa's cantata Pirinivan Mangalya, a requiem based on Buddha's Parinirvana. However, the American composer Dudley Buck composed an oratorio on the life of Buddha, The Light of Asia, which was first performed in 1887. Buddhist texts have also been incorporated into two other western oratorios, Somei Satoh's 1987 Stabat Mater and Jonathan Harvey's 2011 Weltethos.
The oratorio consists of 12 pieces of music and, according to the Daily News, is composed in "Far Eastern, Sri Lankan, Indian, and Western classical styles". It also includes a Buddhist chant in the background, as well as elements from Tibetan music and folk and pop genres. It was his first major work since coming home for a break from the A. R. Rahman Academy in India. Buddhist monk Athuraliye Rathana Thero and Negombo astrologer Ranushka Fernando contributed ideas to the conceptualization of the work. The work, with Subasinghe playing some of the music has been released on CD.

Passion plays and other religious music

Subasinghe has composed music for 16 Sri Lankan Passion plays since 1999. His music for these plays combines a variety of styles and genres, including Gregorian chant, western classical music, Portuguese music, and Sri Lankan folk music. In 2000, Sri Lanka's Catholic Media Unit and Tower Hall Theater Foundation organised a passion play cultural programme at Negombo, where they assembled all the traditional passion play drama teams from all parts of the country. Subasinghe was appointed music director for the programme.
In 1999, 2000, and 2001, Sri Lankan dramatist, Peter Wellambage, Subasinghe and composer Jayantha Modarage, participated in the production of a modern Sri Lankan passion play, Kurusiya Matha Miyadunemi, performed in the Katuwapitiya and Bolawalana villages in Negombo. Subasinghe created the music for the passion play Aho mage senageni performed in 2003 and 2007 in Halpe, Katana near Negombo. It was directed by Alexius Fernando and used the traditional Oberammergau Passion Play costumes for the first time in a Sri Lankan passion play. He has since continued his involvement with the Aho mage senageni project.
In 2008, Subasinghe composed music for an audio remake of the 1970s Katu Otunna stage drama audio CD and Duwa historic passion play which is based on the story of Jesus and was directed by Clement Fernadao. All of the main folk tunes in this play were sung by the Sri Lankan vocalist, Nanda Malini. He included many western vocalists and choirs and classical musicians to enhance the Christian orchestral sounds with folk music. In 2012, 18 Sri Lankan cinema and television stars participated in the passion play Sri Kurusawalokanaya Thambakanda, which was produced by Pream Fernanado and directed by Peter Wellambage with music by Subasinghe. Jeewan Kumaranatunga played the role of Jesus. In 2013, Subasinghe composed music for the passion play in St Anthony's Church in Dalupotha, Negombo.
Subasinghe composed the music for the 2013 television film based on the life of Jesus, Jesu Christu Yuga Peraliya, produced by Prem Fernando. He also served as assistant director and script editor, and played the role of Herod Antipas. Jewan Kumarathunga played the role of Jesus while Ravindra Randeniya played Pontius Pilate. More than 25 Sri Lankan cinema and television stars participated.

Awards and nominations

Dinesh has won the best music score at the 2009 Sri Lankan SIGNIS Awards for Siri Sirimal, a Sri Lankan television adaptation of Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer. That was his first ever award as a Composer. and Sumathi Awards in 2012 for Pinsara Dosthara, a Sri Lankan adaptation of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
Best Original Score Awards
YearFilm, TV SeriesAward FestivalCategoryResult
2009Siri Sirimal TV SeriesSignis AwardsBest Music score Golden Award
2012Pinsara Dosthara TV seriesSumathi AwardsBest Music Director Award
2015WarigaPojja movie3rd Derana Film AwardsBest Music original score
2016Ho Gaana Pokuna movie4th Derana Film AwardsBest Music original score.
2016Ho Gana Pokuna Movie2nd Hiru Golden Film Awards 2016Best Music original score
2016Ho Gana Pokuna MovieSignis AwardsBest Music original score
2016Ho Gana Pokuna MovieSarasaviya Awards 2016Best Music original score
2017Ho Gana Pokuna MoviePresidential Film Awards for 2015Best Music original score

Most Popular Movie Song Awards
YearFilm, TV SeriesCategoryResult
2015WarigaPojja3rd Derana Film Awards for Most Popular Film Song
2016Ho Gaana Pokuna movie4th Derana Film Awards for Most Popular Film Song
2016Ho Gaana Pokuna Movie2nd Hiru Golden Film Awards

Best Movie Song of the year
2016Ho Gaana Pokuna MovieHiru Golden Film Awards
2017Ho Gaana Pokuna MoviePresidential Film Awards for 2015

Special Awards
Subasinghe has composed music for 87 teledramas, 17 movie scores, 21 stage plays, 11 documentaries, 14 audio albums,11 Musical Series's etc. He has become the youngest composer to write 75 teledrama scores for Sri Lankan TV media. Subasinghe received the 2012 best music director Sumathi award for his creations in ‘Pinsara Dosthara’ becoming the youngest to receive the prestigious award in the award's 18-year history.