Dr. Tanya Ekanayaka, an accomplished composer-pianist of Sri Lankan-British origin, has garnered worldwide recognition for her extensive repertoire of published solo piano works. Her exceptional talent as a composer and performer has earned her a position among the world’s most productive female composer-pianists.
She is classically trained with a background in South Asian and world music, and has a transdisciplinary academic foundation in literature, linguistics, and musicology, as well as experience as a record producer. Her self-produced albums have made her the first Sri Lankan composer to have original music releases globally distributed by international record labels.
Dr Ekanayaka’s compositions, exclusively for solo piano, are un-scored and remain frozen in her memory once created, a testament to her artistic genius. Her compositions weave tales that bridge reality and imagination, influenced by her diverse background, multilingualism, ambidexterity, and partial color synesthesia. Her musical influences are drawn from a wide range of genres, languages, and the natural world.
Dr Ekanayaka’s creative approach expands the traditional piano repertoire beyond its cultural roots and highlights the inherent beauty, diversity, transience, and fragility of life and nature.
Born and raised in the Kandyan highlands of Sri Lanka, Dr Ekanayaka began her piano studies at the age of five, mentored by her mother and later by renowned specialists from Asia, Europe, and North America. She gave her first public recital at the age of twelve and has since performed in prestigious international concert venues across Asia, Europe, and North America.
Her compositions reflect emerging dialogues between musical genres, styles, and eras, and have been featured in various international media. Dr Ekanayaka holds a doctorate for cross-disciplinary research in linguistics and musicology from The University of Edinburgh, as well as advanced academic and professional qualifications in music performance, linguistics, and literature.
Her 2023 work, ‘18 Piano Sutras & 25 South Asian Pianisms,’ features 43 compositions inspired by 40 languages and 42 secular songs from around the world. These compositions seek to highlight the emotional and aesthetic aspects of life and nature and offer solace to people worldwide. Dr Ekanayaka also hopes that the multicultural character of her compositions may connect individuals from different musical backgrounds with the piano on a personal level.
Discography:
Reinventions: Rhapsodies for Piano (Grand Piano Records, 2015)
Twelve Piano Prisms (Grand Piano Records, 2018)
The Planets & Humanity: Piano Reflections (2021)
18 Piano Sutras & 25 South Asian Pianisms (Naxos World, 2023)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.