There is no shore to the sea of learning – there is no limits to where music can go. There is constant striving here for what is new, for what is beautiful.

His Excellency Nirupam Sen

Former High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka

“You have heard glorious music. As you can see, Pradeep is a person of enormous talent and I am sure one day would be the Ravi Shankar of Sri Lanka …………………..

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.

Download or View Pradeep's Profile.

Pradeep Ratnayake's Profile

Download
Present
  • 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

Load More