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. he became the most youngest composer to score music for 100 Tele-dramas for Sri Lankan TV.
Subasinghe 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.
He did the music score for Sudu Andagena Kalu Awidin teledrama and directed music of 'Tone Poem'/Baila sade & Imorich tunes musical series.

Early life

Subasinghe was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1979. He 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 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 Helpe and Annada Dabare. Later they assisted Subasinghe in joining the Sri Lankan Symphony Orchestra.
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
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 Helpe's choir. 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.
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 "E Kale: The One" 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 E Kale: The One and played King Herod Antipas in the 2013 Paasku television series by Prem Fernando.
He performed a series of concerts with Sri Lankan pop Bands Marians and Gypsies in 2019–2020.

Tours with Sri Lankan Artists

  • Maldives-in 2014, his newly formed string quartet, Ravan, toured and performed at the Four Seasons Resort on Landaa Giraavaru in the Maldives.,
  • Australia-Dinesh has toured with Del Studio musicians and performed in Melbourne & Sydney in Del Studio Australia tour in 2016,
  • United Kingdom-Dinesh performed in F.O.C. UK in 2017
  • New Zealand & Australia in 2020 Subasinghe performed with famous sri-lankan pop band Marians in 'Thaala' concert series along with Sr Lankan rock star Chitral Somapala. Concerts were held in Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney in month of February and March 2020.
  • Kuwait in 2023 with Commercial Bank, the celebration 20 years of remittance operations in Kuwait

    Collaborations with International Music

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.
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 violinist Mark O'Connor.
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 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
He 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
He 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 used 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.
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