A Piano Player, Music Composer & A Music Director
It was a pleasure to talk to Dinuk Wijeratne, a JUNO award-winning composer, conductor and a pianist, who has composed for a lot of artists and ensembles around the world. His music reflects the international influences he has embraced in his life. His music is enthralling and amazing mix of worldly melodies and rhythms.
Dinuk Wijeratne started composing music at the age of 12.
I am looking forward to his concert – Roots and Inspirations – at the Bourgie Hall at the Montreal Museum of Fine arts on November 28 at 11am and then at 6pm.
Click on the play button below to listen to Dinuk Wijeratne’s interview with Dr. Monika Spolia.
Born in Sri Lanka, Dinuk’s family moved to Dubai when he was 4 years old. There he received western education in music as well as he remained in touch with the eastern and middle eastern influences around him at the time.
“I went to do an undergraduate degree in music in UK because at the time in Dubai there was nowhere for anyone like me to go and study music formally,” said Dunik.
So, he pursued his further music compassion in UK. In 2001, he was invited by Oscar-winning composer John Corigliano to join his studio at New York’s Juilliard School. The world was open to his music.
Some of Dinuk’s endeavours and achievements are such. Dinuk was the composition fellow at the 2002 Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan. He has also played alongside the table legend, Zakir Hussain.
“I even played some Mridangam. It’s my favourite,” mentioned Dunik.
He is the recipient of the Canada Council Jean-Marie Beaudet award for orchestral conducting; the NS Established Artist Award; NS Masterworks nominations for his Tabla Concerto and piano trio Love Triangle; double Merritt Award nominations; Juilliard, Mannes & Countess of Munster scholarships; the Sema Jazz Improvisation Prize; the Soroptimist International Award for Composer-Conductors; and the Sir John Manduell Prize – the RNCM’s highest student honor.
And now Dinuk Wijeratne is playing at The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts on November 28 at 11am and at 6 pm.
The concert will be a mix of very interesting music all the way from Dinuk’s influence of classical Mozart to eastern melodies and folk music accompanied on tabla by Montreal’s renowned tabla player Shawn Mativetsky. This sounds like a superb music combination to me.
See you all at the concert. Book your tickets starting at $15 at Ticketpro box office – 514 790 1111 / 1 866 908 9090 or visit at < Imusici.ticketpro.ca >
