Music
Anagi is an award winning and passionate pianist, violinist and singer. She also likes to play the ukelele for fun. She received the highest distinction mark for her Licentiate exam ( LLCM) in 2023 and at age 14 was the top scorer for the ATCL piano diploma exam. She has also earned a distinction at her violin ARSM performance diploma.
"Music accepts, connects and unites to make one beautiful song."
- Anagi
My Performance Gallery
Music Honors
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Highest distinction mark for piano - LLCM in Performance (Concert. London College of Music 2023) This licentiate diploma is equivalent to a final-year undergraduate recital. London College of Music is a part of the University of West London, UK.
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Highest distinction mark for ATCL in piano recital (Trinity College, London 2019) This Associate Diploma is equivalent to the performance component of the first year of study in an undergraduate course at a conservatoire or university.
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Distinction in violin – ARSM in Performance from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London 2021 . This Associate Diploma is equivalent to the end of the first year of an undergraduate course.
Competition Awards
Youth Music Competition 2022
– Organised by London College of Music
• First Place Winner of the “21 years and under” piano category
• Best performance of a Classical Sonata in the “21 years and under” piano category
• Best performance of a prescribed work by London College of Music in the “21 years and
under” piano category
• Sujeeva Hapugalle Award: Overall best performance of a Classical work in piano category (13
years and over)
• Overall best performance of a Baroque/Classical work in the “21 years and under” piano category.
Beethoven Piano Competition 2020
– Organised by the Institute of Western Music and Speech ( IWMS) - the premier local music examination board in Sri Lanka
International concerts & collaborations
Child Aid International 2020 (Japan)
I was selected to represent Sri Lanka at the “Child Aid International 2020” concert organized by Little Creators of Japan. The concert was originally due to be held at the famed Suntory Hall in Japan. Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of the covid pandemic it was held virtually. The concert showcased young talent from Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Korea, Mexico and South Africa. The concert raised funds for Japanese orphans to buy laptops to access school lessons.
I got the opportunity to describe my musical journey leading up to this performance. To access this article, click on the "read more" button!
World Down Syndrome Day 2021 (Malta)
My friend, Angela Bettoni, who has Down’s syndrome lives in Malta. She is an advocate and educator for Down’s Syndrome. To mark World Down’s Syndrome Day (2021), Angela released a YouTube music cover “Wear your crown”, in which I sang and provided a piano accompaniment.
“Anagi Gunasekera is one of the finest emerging classical pianists in Sri Lanka. On 3 consecutive occasions, the Board of Trustees of Lionel Wendt (Sri Lanka's premier concert hall for Classical music concerts) selected her to perform at "The Young Musicians at the Wendt" concert series. Anagi's performances have been a highlight at each concert due to her high musicianship, technical brilliance, and warm stage presence, which helps her to connect with her audiences instantly. In addition, Anagi has collaborated beautifully with other young musicians at these concerts, and has a reputation for being a caring artist who supports the musical development of other young musicians, on and off stage.”
- Admin Secretary, Lionel Wendt Art Centre
MUSIC TESTIMONIALS
Music Leadership @ Ladies' College
President of the Music Circle (2022)
As the leader and living by my own motto, “Music accepts, connects and unites to make one beautiful song”, I initiated musical activities and events that embodied the theme “peace and unity” for the year 2022. I organised and directed the school's first ever fusion music flash mob. I directed 40 students belonging to the school's English, Sinhala and Tamil ethnic music groups in a performance that united all musical cultures of my country (Western, Eastern and oriental). I also organized and directed 'Euphonic' a multilinguistic peace and unity music concert in my school to celebrate International Day of World Peace, bringing together all the diverse music groups in all three languages (English, Sinhala and Tamil). On the same day, I extended invitations to host other schools for an all-day event of celebrating united music making through music related team activities followed by the peace concert at the end (2022). 236 students from my school and guest schools participated in this concert.
Fusion Flashmob Finale performance at Euphonic
(I am the violinist on the left.)
Leader of the Senior English Choir (2022)
Apart from leading the senior choir during my penultimate year in high school, I assisted my choir director to train the choir, wrote additional parts and harmonies to enhance performances, and accompanied and conducted the choir.
Leader of the Western Orchestra (2022)
Assisted the trainer to raise the standard of the orchestra by helping the string players individually with their parts. I built a sense of team spirit and camaraderie amongst the players by initiating fun music making and playing a supportive role to each member in the orchestra.
Leader of the Sinhala Orchestra (2022)
Coming from a Western music background, I was quick to embrace and learn a new tradition of music and notation. I encouraged other western-music-trained students to join the orchestra and taught them how to read oriental notation.
Music Teaching
I began teaching music at 2 preschools, ABC Preschool and ABC school of Early Learning in January. Having being made aware of a gap for music therapists for children with special needs, I started teaching music to differently-able students at ABC school of Early Learning too
Music Compositions
Where has Christmas Gone?
Composing this carol for our school choir, with a fellow chorister Sajani Ratnayake, was an enjoyable and memorable experience! We decided to start the carol in a minor key to reflect the sorrows and frustrations our fellow citizens went through during Christmases in the years of the Easter bomb attacks (2019), the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-21), and the economic meltdown (2022). We ended the carol in a major key to show that even the darkest of times will pass, and love will triumph hate and hope will not be lost.
