William Bandara Makuloluwa (), (17 February 1922 – 8 September 1984), popularly as W. B. Makuloluwa, was a folk music composer, promoter and director of theater and film in

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

. Considered as a legend in Sri Lankan folk music history, Makuloluwa is the pioneer to introduce "Jane Gee" folk music in popular culture. He was also a talented speaker, scholar, Kathakali and Manipuri dancer as well as a songwriter.

Personal life

Makuloluwa was born on 17 February 1922 in Idamegama village, Harispattuwa, Kandy. He completed primary education from Idamegama Primary College and later entered

Sri Rahula College, Kandy Sri Rahula College ( Sinhala: ශ්‍රී රාහුල විද්‍යාලය) is a mixed National school located in Kandy, Sri Lanka founded by Buddhist Theosophical Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott in 1890. It offers prima ...

and

Ananda College Ananda College () is a Prestigious Buddhist school in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is often known as "The Pinnacle of buddhist education " It is the largest national Buddhist school for boys in Sri Lanka, with a student population exceeding 8000 ac ...

, Colombo for secondary education. Makuloluwa studied traditional dance under the guidance of Rangama Gunamaala, J.C. Maalagammana and Tittawela Gunayaa. His son Kosala Makuloluwa is a creative director in Swarnavahini, who made the popular programs ''Ganga Dige'' and ''Salang Hanthe''.

Career

He studied drama and music from Shanti Niketan in India under the maestro

Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...

. He also studied esraj and sitar in Shanti Niketan. After completing education in India, he started to work as an English teacher at Sri Rahula College, Kandy. Later he became a Music Inspector in the Ministry of Education, as its Chief Director and Chief Director. He also served as the Creative Director of the Ministry of Culture and the Arts. He believed Sinhalese music should follow the traditions of its folk music called "Jana Gee". Makuloluwa gathered a numerous Sinhalese folk poems by traveling around the country and tried to develop a unique style. While serving at

Sri Palee College Sri Palee College in Horana is one of the main mixed schools in Sri Lanka. The number of students are over 5,000. There are classes from grade 1 to 13. History Inspired by Guru Dev Rabindranath Tagore an Indian writer, artist and educationist, ...

, Horana, he made a great contribution to music and produced famous students including Lionel Ranwala and W.D. Amaradeva. In 1946, he produced the drama ''Ohoma Hindada?''. Makuloluwa composed Sri Lanka's first musical symphonies such as ''Goyam Da magula'', ''Maara Parajaya'', ''Hira Geyin Marumuwata'' and ''Mahabinishkramanaya''. He was the music director in critically acclaimed film ''Arunata Pera''. Makuloluwa also produced ballet creations such as ''Pahanin Pahana'' and ''Tharanaya''. He is the first principal at Teachers' College of Aesthetic Education Giragama, Pilimathalawa. Makuloluwa streamlined the folk music section of the school curriculum and categorized the folk songs and dot system. He published several drama and folk music related books including ''Hela Gee Maga'' (1962), ''Gemi Geeya'' and ''Abhinawa Mulika Geetha''. His book ''Hela Gee Maga'' includes theories on folk music and musical notes of several rural folk songs. In the book ''Abhinawa Mulika Geetha'', Makuloluwa used Sinhala vocabulary for Hindustani songs to learn the music of Ragadhari. Makuloluwa hosted many local concerts and various concerts abroad including folk musical concerts such as ''Nonimida Magula'', ''Maara Parajaya'', ''Sirageyin Marumuwata'', ''Depano'' and ''Aesi Disi''.

References

External links

Offer of a job by a State Minister

A Critique on the State Sinhala Drama Festival of 1966
{{DEFAULTSORT:Makuloluwa, W.B. 1984 deaths Sinhalese people Sri Lankan educators 1922 births Sri Lankan teachers People from Kandy Sri Lankan composers