Professor Pradeep Ratnayake is an internationally acclaimed sitarist who has performed in world renowned venues like the Carnegie Hall and Asia Society New York, Vienna Musikverein, the European Parliament, the United Nations Office in Geneva etc. with world famous artists. He is also a composer who performs his own music, having his latest CD brought out in Japan with legendary Japanese Jazz pianist Masahiko Satoh. He was also commissioned a work by the Neubrandenburg Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kuveni Symphony he composed for it premiered in Germany in 2010. He is a film music director, who has brought home the first international film music award to Sri Lanka for the film ‘Sri Siddhartha Gauthama’. A classically trained sitarist having a Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Santinietan India, he now explores other traditions of music which he fuses in his compositions. He is a Fulbright scholar who has studied for two years at Columbia University, New York and is now a Professor of Music, and former Head of the Department of the Languages, Cultural Studies and Performing Arts Department at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
2018 May
Music of the Commonwealth Project by HD Duo
Pradeep Ratnayake has been chosen to be the composer from Sri Lanka in the Music of the Commonwealth Project of the Australian Saxophone and Piano duo, HD Duo, funded by the University of Sydney and the Australian Elizabethan Theater Trust.
2018 March
Professorship
Appointed Professor of Music at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka.
2015
Sori International Music Festival, Korea
Performance with Jazz Pianist Professor Masahiko Satoh in the Sori International Music Festival, Korea, 2015.
2015 Sep
Pradeepanjalee at Lionel Wendt
Pradeepanjalee: Serendip concert at the Lionel Wendt Theater, Sri Lanka, in September 2015, organized by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura with Professor Masahiko Satoh as guest artist and the Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka as the Chief Guest.
2015
Performance with Masahiko Satoh in Tokyo, Japan
Performance with Jazz Pianist Professor Masahiko Satoh in Tokyo Japan in 2015.
2015
Launch of CD – Serendip
Launch of the CD Serendip – Produced by BAJ Records, Japan, 2015 with Jazz pianist Professor Masahiko Satoh. This is the first classical music CD produced internationally that combined the piano and the sitar.
2014
Performance with Masahiko Satoh
Performance with Jazz Pianist Professor Masahiko Satoh in Tokyo Japan in 2014.
23 Feb 2014
Pradeepanjalee (XVII)
“A tribute to Ravi Shankar” at Lionel wendt theater & Released the CD Santutti (Joy). (Sponsored by Niloufer Pieris, the DFCC Bank and Prajaya Studio)
2014
Best Film Music Director Award- 2014
Winning the Best Film Music Director Award at the International Buddhist film festival at Vietnam for Sri Siddhartha Gautama.
2014
Randooga- 2014
Tour of Japan with workshops on Randooga.
07 March 2014
Kuweni Concerto in South Africa
Performance of the Kuveni Concerto with the KZN Orchestra, Durban, South Africa.
2013
Sri Siddhartha Guatama – 2013
Composing music for Sri Siddhartha Guatama Movie
2012
Appointment as Head of Department
Appointment as Head of the Languages, Cultural Studies and Performing Arts Department of University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka
2012
French Spring Festival of 2012
Concert with French musician Abaji for the French Spring Festival of 2012, sponsored by the Alliance Francais.
2012
Randooga -2012
Involvement in the Randooga project with Japan and the Japanese Embassy in Sri Lanka, culminating in the Randooga Concert with Japanese Jazz pianist, Masahiko Satoh.
22 Jan 2011
Pradeepanjalee (XVI)
Performance at Lionel Wendt theater (Sponsored by HNB Assurance).
06 Jan 2011
“Ragas from New York”
Performance and CD release of the same name with Nitin Mitta in Sri Lanka (Sponsored by Sri Lanka Tourism)at Lionel Wendt theater.
2010
Pradeepanjalee in Canada
Pradeepanjalee Concert at Markham Theater, Montreal, Canada. Four musicians from the USA traveled to Canada with him for this performance.
02 Oct 2010
Pradeepanjalee at BOZAR, Brussels
Pradeepanjalee concert at BOZAR, Brussels organized by the Sri Lankan Mission in Belgium.
05 Sep 2010
Pradeepanjalee in Melbourne
At the Besen Centre
2010
Performance in New York
International Institute of Education – 90th Anniversary Celebrations performance in New York
29 May 2010
Kuveni Concerto
Composition and Performance of the Kuveni Concerto with the Neubrandenburg Philharmonic Orchestra, with Pradeep on the sitar and Ramon Jaffe playing the cello in this concerto grossi. (Sponsored by the Neubrandenburg Orchestra)
2010
Concert in Berlin
Concert in Berlin at Passionkirche with Ramon Jaffe, Patrick Zimmerli and Rajkumar. Sponsored by the Sri Lanka Association of Berlin.
2010
Performance at the European Parliament
Performance at the European Parliament
2010
Performance at Sri Lanka Independence Day Celebrations
Performance at Asia Society.
2010
Return to Sri Lanka
Return to Sri Lanka after two years in New York.
20 Nov 2009
Pradeepanjalee at Carnegie
Pradeepanjalee Concert at Weil Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, New York. Professors from Columbia University and musicians from New York joined Pradeep in performing his work.
2008
Leaving for New York
Receiving a Fulbright scholarship by the United States – Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission and being accepted as a Fulbright scholar at Columbia University, New York.
2008
Ravibandu Vidyapati’s Macbeth
Music composed to the ballet.
Aug 2008
Pradeepanjalee (XV)
Sponsored by Sri Lanka Tourism, at the Lionel Wendt.
Feb 2008
Pradeepanjalee (XIV)
Concert and the launch of the Pradeepanjalee DVD (Sponsored by HNB Assurance) at the Lionel Wendt.
Aug 2007
Pradeepanjalee (XIII)
Sponsored by the Ananda Old Boys Association, at the Kularatne Hall, Ananda College.
15 July 2007
Pradeepanjalee (XII)
Live recording of the Pradeepanjalee DVD at the BMICH (Sponsored by the producer of the DVD, Torana Music Box) Released the CD “Sithijaya”
2007
Bunka Award
Received the Bunka Award for special achievement in Music, from the Japan Sri Lanka Friendship Association.
May 2007
Accord Parfait
Accord Parfait – Concert with French guitarist Thibault Cauvin, sponsored by the Alliance Francais.
27 March 2007
Pradeepanjalee (XI)
Concert and release of Visva CD with performance by Fulbright students as well. (Sponsored by the United States – Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission) (Chief Guest, His Excellency the Ambassador of the United States of America, Mr. Robert Blake) at the Lionel Wendt. Web site Launch.
11 Feb 2007
Pradeepanjalee (X)
Sponsored by the Lionel Wendt Memorial Fund.
22 July 2006
Concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall
Concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall
March 2006
Pradeepanjalee (VIX)
Sponsored by Niloufer Pieris, at the Lionel Wendt.
2006
Pradeepanjalee at Vienna Musikverein
Pradeepanjalee concert at the Vienna Musikverein sponsored by the Sri Lankan High Commission in Austria.
Nov 2005
Concert at Universal Studios
Performed at the Globe Theater, Universal Studios, at the Sri Lanka Foundation Award ceremony.
2005
Performance at Washington DC
Solo performance of sitar at the World Bank, Washington DC, for the Committee for Global Relief event.
2005
Millennium Stage performance
Millennium Stage performance at Kennedy Center.
2005
Pradeepanjalee at Asia Society, New York
Pradeepanjalee Concert at Asia Society, New York, USA
2005
Concert for Peace in Geneva
United Nations Geneva, Concert for Peace, for the victims of the Tsunami. Sponsored by the Sri Lankan Mission in Geneva.
2005
Pradeepanjalee in Canada
Concert At Montreal, Canada.
Nov 2004
Pradeepanjalee (VIII)
Sponsored by the India Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission (Chief Guest, His Excellency the Ambassador of the United States of America, Mr. Richard Lunstead) at the Lionel Wendt
2004
De Silva’s Sitar Concerto in Bangalore
De Silva’s Sitar Concerto performed in Bangalore as part of an international East West Music Festival, where Pradeep was backed by the Amsterdam Chamber Orchestra
13 March 2004
Pradeepnajalee (VII)
Concert and the Launch of the CD Roots (Sponsored by Niloufer ieris) Chief Guest, His Excellency the High Commissioner of India, Nirupam Sen at the Lionel Wendt.
23 Jan 2004
Pradeepanjalee (VI)
A concert to celebrate the 54th Anniversary of the Republic Day of India (Sponsored by the India-Sri Lanka Foundation) at the Bishop’s College Auditorium.
Oct 2003
Pradeepanjalee (V)
Lionel Wendt Memorial Concert
2001 – 2003
Master of Music Degree
Followed a Master of Music Degree from the Visva Bharati Santiniketan, India
2001
ICCR Scholarship
ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) Scholarship was awarded to follow the Master of Music Degree in India
2001
“Scent of the Lotus Pond”
Composed music for Sathyajith Maitipe’s film “Boradiya Pokuna” (Scent of the Lotus Pond).
2001
“The Pickpocket”
Composed music for Linton Semage’s film “The Pickpocket”, shown at the Locarno Film Festival.
2001
State Award – 2001
State Award for Music given at the State Music Festival 2001 for services rendered to instrumental music in Sri Lanka.
March 2001
Pradeepanjalee (IV)
The public performance of the symphonic Tone Poem, Indrakeelaya (Sponsored by South Asia Partnership to raise funds to award scholarships to ten children in the zones of conflict in Sri Lanka) at the BMICH
2000
Pradeepanjalee at Abu Dhabi
Pradeepanjalee Concert at Abu Dhabi UAE
1999
“Wekenda Walawwa”
First film music direction for Dr. Leter James Pieris’s film Wekenda Walawwa (an adaptation of Chekov’s Cherry Orchard) which was shown in the Cannes Film Festival 2003.
1999
Indrakeelaya
Tone Poem by Ratnayake performed at the New Headquarters Building of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. This was specially commissioned for the opening of the building when the old one was destroyed by a bomb blast in 1996.
1999
Vivaldi’s Concerto
Performance on sitar for Two Mandolins with Swedish mandolin player Sven Aberg backed by the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka conducted by Lalanath de Silva.1999 –
Nov 1998
Pradeepanjalee (III)
Sponsored by HSBC Bank, at the Lionel Wendt.
1998
Pradeepanjalee in Geneva
Pradeepanjalee concert at the International Labour Organization Auditorium in Geneva, Switzerland, organized by the Sri Lankan Mission in Geneva.
1998
Sitar Concerto by Lalanath de Silva
Soloist at Sitar Concerto by Lalanath de Silva, an Associate Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka composed the sitar concerto inspired by the performances of Pradeep Ratnayake. This was performed by the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lankan in
March 1998
Pradeepanjalee (II)
Sponsored by Hatton National Bank and Muslim Commercial Bank, at the Lionel Wendt.
1998
50th Anniversary of Independence – Joint Celebrations
50th Anniversary of Independence of Sri Lanka and India – Joint Celebrations. The Sitar Concerto was performed in Colombo Sri Lanka and then in the Tata Theater in Bombay, India jointly by the Bombay Chamber Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka.
12 Nov 1997
Pradeepanjalee (I)
Sponsored by childhood friend Ranga Asoka Gunesekera at the Lionel Wendt theater.
19 March 1997
The First Concert
Started the Pradeepanjalee music concert series with a concert at Goethe Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
1995
Intra-University Cultural Competition
First place in the Intra-University Cultural Competition in India in instrumental music (sitar)
1992-1996
Bachelor of Music degree
Followed the Bachelor of Music degree in the University of Visva Bharati, Santiniketan, India and obtained a first class distinction pass, the highest ever marks to be received for a degree in sitar in Santiniketan till then.
1992
Scholarship
Awarded a scholarship by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to follow a Bachelor of Music Degree
1984
First place in instrumental classical music (sitar)
First place in instrumental classical music (sitar) held by the Youth Council of Sri Lanka.
1983
All Island School Music Competition
First place in instrumental classical music in the All Island School Music Competition
1978-1984
Bathkande College of Music, Lucknow, India
First Division passes in all examinations leading to the Visharada title from the Bathkande College of Music, Lucknow, India
