Sunil Shantha hears his own voice while bathing ... with the name Ivor being mentioned!

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Sunil Shantha hears his own voice while bathing ...

with the name Ivor being mentioned!

It was the thirteenth in the month of June in the year 1952; a similar date as this. Sunil Shantha was to her the song 'Varen heen sere' sung by him, over the radio. He had been giving ear to this song with interest when he happened to hear a small shortcoming during the recital and was shocked. He was quite sure that there was no shortcoming of that nature in this song which he had sung, earlier.

However, how did this song which he was giving ear to fell on his ears; he began to wonder. Once the

song was over, Laddie Ranasingha who was an announcer of the radio announced that the singer of the song of that moment was Ivor Dennis and he also mentioned that it was the 'aadunika peya' programme which was going on the air at that moment. Thus, Sunil Shantha came to realise that his ears were deceived by an amateur singer called Ivor Dennis. Sunil Shantha then proceeded to find information from one of his pupils, Patrick Denipitiya and had gone in search of him and had left a message to meet him. But Ivor's father thinking that it would be a detriment to his son's education, prevented him from going. However, with the support of Ivor Dennis's mother Maria Rodrigo he went to meet Sunil Shantha and started studying music under the latte. That was how Ivor Dennis the singer, musician and vocalist was born. Ivor Dennis sang the song 'Kurulu paradeese' written by another pupil of Sunil Shantha, Thilaka Sudharman Silva in 1959 and became a  radio singer. Subsequently he next sang the song "Kethaki paatali gas natawa' written by poet H.M. Kudaligama and it was a river-song. Both those songs being songs created by his mentor Sunil Shantha was something special to him. Ivor was successful in the government music teachers' examination in the year 1959 and got his appointment as the music teacher of Getangama Maha Vidyalaya and in 1974 became the teaching advisor on folk music at the government music college. Ivor who taught at Horana Sripali Kala Aayatanaya retired from his teaching profession; but continued in his music activities.

Ivor was not only a singer but expressed himself as an actor too in the field of Arts. He started his acting stint by joining the Colombo foundation Rasanjali Kalaayathanaya creation of the drama "Eseya, api ohu meravemu" which was launched by that kalaayathanaya. Further, he gave life to the main character by singing "Depaano geetha ingi naluwe" of D.B. Makuloluwa. He was also the main actor of Sathischandra Edirisingha's drama "Thahanchi". Ivor Dennis embarked himself as a playback singer in Mr. Lester James Peries's film "Rekhava" which was screened in the year 1956. The scene which portrayed with a stilt-walker (role played by Sesha Palihakkara) coming to the village was accompanied with Sunil Shantha vocalising the virindu recital in that instance. This virindu creation which was composed by Rev. Mercelline Jayakody and it was his mentor Sunil Shantha who created it with a new outlook. Since Sunil Shantha did not go to India to record these songs, it was his pupil Ivor Dennis whom he made use of for that purpose. In that instance singers like Sisira Senaratna, Indrani Vijaya Bandara and Thilakasiri Fernando were trained in singing sessions under the supervision of Ivor Dennis. In the same way it was Ivor Dennis who sent singers like Dharmadasa Walpola, Latha Walpola, H.R. Jothipala, Sidney Attygalla, Mohideen Beg to India for training in singing a number of songs in Dr. Lester James Peries's film 'Sandeshaya' which was screened in 1959 by Cinemas Theatres. Though Ivor Dennis had his training and guidance under Sunil Shantha, he did not make Ivor Dennis be confined to one particular framework in the field of music and motivated him to go a long journey by allowing him to associate other musicians as well. It was in that manner that Ivor Dennis got the opportunity of singing in radio programmes such as 'Rasa miyuru ha vidya geethaya' which were created for the radio by Dr. W.D. Amaradeva.

It was the duo Ivor Dennis and T.M. Jayaratna who were chosen by Premasiri Khemadasa to sing a song of Ravindranath Tagore which incidentally was composed by Premadasa Alawaththagoda into Sinhala as "Anduru kutiya thula doragulu laagena".

In the case of the film "Babaru ewith",  Khemadasa introduced the voice of Ivor Dennis by mixing it with the voice of T.M. Jayaratna for the song "Handuna gaththoth oba ma". The voice of Ivor Dennis was utilised also for the audio cassette "Rasa weda" in Khemadasa's opera creations such as "Mage kalaye mawuni" and "Manasa vila pirinivan mangalya". 

While Ivor Dennis was selected as the Best Singer of the Year for his singing the theme song "Kanda eha wessa vahinava" composed by Premasiri Khemadasa in the film "Hima kathara" he was also bestowed with the President's Award at the cinema festival hosted by National Film Corporation.

Ivor Dennis was even was instrumental in carrying his voice to international level and he sang "E thamai ape aadare" song composed by Chandrakirthi Kularatna at the global singing competition held in New Zealand in 1986 where Sri Lanka clinched first position, thus representing Sri Lanka.

This distinguished and senior singer has now left us. It then is not falsehood to mention that the duties he had rendered to the field of music as given above is just a wee bit of his achievements. Though this wonderful singer called Ivor Dennis and actor will no longer come in our view live, he would still be made to live for myriads of years throughout generations; the songs he sang, songs which he created will no doubt keep him alive.

Bon voyage ... great artiste! We invite you to come back  and may you rest in peace! Final rites of Mr. Ivor Dennis would be conducted tomorrow or the 20th at 3 in the afternoon at Seeduwa burial grounds.

Nalika Rajapaksha