Music for a cause

Renowned concert pianist and Steinway artiste Sujeeva Hapugalle will once again thrill Sri Lankan audiences with her repertoire of passionate, romantic and impressionistic works in a performance called ‘Poetry of the Piano’ on Friday 3 July. She will play selections from Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Debussy and Ravel. She will add exotic Latin and Spanish rhythms and end with a rousing Gershwin finale.
Sujeeva’s versatility, artistry and sheer passion at the keyboard have been widely acclaimed in five continents, earning her exciting reviews from many notable art critiques and in literary journals. “An artist of bold personality and intelligence… an absorbing and magical perfomance” wrote the Kensington and Chelsea Times, London, of Sujeeva. The Beethoven Piano society of Europe reviewed of one of her concerts: “ a performance with great insight into the music and with profound understanding of stylistic complexities and rare artistry”
Sujeeva comes to us fresh from appearances in the USA. She lived in the UK for many years and performed extensively on prestigious concert platforms. She studied at the Royal College of Music with David Parkhouse. She recently moved to San Francisco, California. And currently serves on the Board of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra. She is also a popular Headline Solo Concert Pianist for the 6 star Cruise line, Crystal, performing alongside other international celebrities.
Poetry of the Piano is sponsored by the Zonta Club 11 of Colombo. The main sponsor is Hatton National Bank and all proceeds will go towards funding of the Burns Unit of the National Hospital in Colombo. Sujeeva has generously waived all fees, travel and accommodation costs in support of this worthy cause.
The Burns Unit is a one of the principal service projects of Zonta International’s Club 11 of Colombo. Speaking to The Bottomline, Zonta Club 11 President Chathuri Ranasinghe explained, “ The Burns Unit is the only one of its kind for the whole island. Victims of burns are often hideously disfigured and deeply traumatized by their injuries and experiences.”
Consultant plastic surgeon Dr Chandini Perera is in charge of this Unit and is engaged in the critical care treatment and long term rehabilitation of these patients. She works with a passion that is way beyond the call of duty. The Unit is desperately in need of better facilities and equipment and the Zonta Club plans to collect monies to provide a special bathing trolley and a sanitized chamber for the specialised care of these burns victims, most of whom are women, who have suffered injuries inflicted through self immolation due to intolerable personal problems or have been cruelly and deliberately burned as victims of domestic violence.
The box plan for the concert opens at the Lionel Wendt from June 15 and parking is also available.