Tanya Ekanayaka

Tanya Ekanayaka (born 6 May 1977) [1] is a Sri Lankan-British concert composer-pianist, classically trained and with a background in Asian and popular music as well as a linguist and musicologist.[2]

Tanya Ekanayaka
OccupationComposer-Pianist
Academic background
Alma materUniversity of Edinburgh
Musical career
Genres
LabelsNaxos
Websitewww.tanyaekanayaka.com

Early life

She began studying the piano at the age of five, and at the age of 12 made her debut recital. At the age of 16, as youngest competitor and joint winner of the biennial concerto competition of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka, she performed her first concerto.[3]

Career

Ekanayaka's debut album of compositions for solo piano composed, performed and produced by her, Reinventions: Rhapsodies for Piano, came out in 2015.[4] It represents the first album of works solely by a composer of Sri Lankan nationality to be released by a major international label.[2] Each work in the album builds upon a motif inspired by the tonality of the works which preceded it in its primary concert performance and adaptations of melodies belonging to genres of Sri Lankan traditional and folk music.[5][6]

Twelve Piano Prisms, her second solo album of works for the piano, was released on 14 September 2018.[3][7]

Ekanayaka's debut album contains adaptations of 10 of the 18 Sri Lankan Vannams while her second album contains adaptations of the remaining 8 Vannams along with adaptations of indigenous and traditional melodies of Armenia, China, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.[8]

She also developed a music composition project from 2012 to 2014. The project aimed to assist war-affected and impoverished Sri Lankan school children recovering from the country's thirty year civil war.[9][10][11]

Ekanayaka holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from the University of Peradeniya and a Master of Science degree and PhD from the University of Edinburgh.[8] She is a Fellow (FTCL) of the Trinity College of Music (UK), a Licentiate (LRSM) of the Royal Schools of Music (UK) and Licentiate (LGSMD) of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (UK) which awarded her its Professional Performer's Diploma (PPD) in 1999.[8]

She was a member of the academic staff of the University of Peradeniya from 2003 until 2011.[8] Since 2007 she has been a member of the part-time academic staff of the University of Edinburgh.[12][13]

She is ambidextrous and has a synaesthesia, which influences her style of play and compositions.[8]

Works
  • Adahas: Of Wings Of Roots (2010), for piano
  • Dhaivaya: Altering Hue (2011), for piano
  • Labyrinth; Vannam Lent (2012), for piano
  • Dew Encounters: Of Scottish Walks, Vannam (Udara) & Sri Lanka's Bugs Bunny (2013), for piano
  • Vannam (Gajaga, Mayura & Hanuma) & You (2013), for piano
  • In Lotus: Olu Pipila With Moment (2013), for piano
  • 2013/14 June Echoes (2013–14), for piano
  • G – With Paaru Kavi (2016), for piano
  • F – Renewal & Goyam Kapuma (2016), for piano
  • F Sharp – Kitty & Bambaru (2016), for piano
  • E Flat – July 2016/17 (2016–17), for piano
  • B Flat – Armenia to a Pearl (2017), for piano
  • C – Emerald Lapwing Karpet (2017), for piano
  • D Flat – Intuition, Auld Lang Syne & an Asian Sacred (2017), for piano
  • E – Arrow-and (2017), for piano
  • A – Zuni Sea (2017), for piano
  • A Flat Scintilla: Komitas Unto Childhood (2017), for piano
  • B – Of Vannam & Zhuang Tai Qiu Si (2017), for piano
  • D – Hana Hare (2017), for piano

References
  1. "Tanya Ekanayaka - 'Concert' Pianist / Composer / Improviser / Musicologist / Linguist". Tanyaekanayaka.com. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  2. "An Electrifying Evening with Tanya – Accomplished Sri Lankan pianist's performance in London | Asian Tribune". Asiantribune.com. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  3. "Tanya Ekanayaka- Bio, Albums, Pictures – Naxos Classical Music". Naxos.com.
  4. "EKANAYAKA, T.: Reinventions – Rhapsodies for Piano (Ekanayaka) -GP693". Naxos.com. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  5. "Letting the music take control". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  8. "Compositora do Mês: Tanya Ekanayaka :: Polymnia". Polymnia.webnode.com. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  9. "Music fights the ravages of civil war". Edinburghnews.scotsman.com.
  10. "Interview with Tanya Ekanayaka". BBC World Global News (Interview). 15 April 2015.
  12. "Tanya wants to mentor young musicians back home". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 11 August 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  13. "theartsdesk from Colombo: A Pianist of the World | The Arts Desk". Theartsdesk.com. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
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