Sujeeva Hapugalle
The International Steinway Concert Artist
My beloved mother Indranee Hapugalle was the first to cultivate my innate love for music through her very own deep passion for music
Q: Having been born in Sri Lanka and now living in the San Francisco Bay Area, how do your Sri Lankan roots influence your approach to music and teaching?
A: Having resided almost equal years in Sri Lanka, the UK and the US, I have treasured my roots, musical education and experiences in my homeland.
Though Sri Lanka is still a country without formal music colleges, I revered my first educators; they nurtured my deep love for music, and wholeheartedly supported my passion for challenging repertoire and engaging in diverse performance activities on the piano to audiences.
This was while enjoying symphonic music with three orchestras and chamber music as a violinist too. Each day was enriched by a vibrant musical environment at my alma mater Ladies’ College where leadership too was greatly encouraged.
The cultural institutes of the British, German, French and Russian embassies in Sri Lanka offered many inspiring opportunities with their visiting artistes. They also graciously supported my own initiatives of thematic solo performances.
From an early age, I was thrilled to be able to give back musically in Sri Lanka with many initiatives involving solo concerts to benefit compelling fundraising causes for the country. And I was inspired by the unity, harmony and probing thoughts one can communicate to growing audiences at these classical concerts. The magic, vibrant energy of music and life were interwoven forever with musical outreach close to my heart and deeds.
My formal studies in the United Kingdom at the Royal College of Music in London – with wider circuits of European pedagogues and a rich cultural environment – cultivated an invaluable in-depth study of the musical language, vision, creativity and performance skills, and years of rich performances and educational experience.
The San Francisco Bay Area is a vibrant multicultural locale, which embraces new energy, vision and passion. I’m excited by the many rich musical avenues I contribute to as performer, educator, adjudicator, board leadership etc.
Q: You began learning music with your mother. Can you tell us how that early influence shaped your love for the piano – and your approach to music education?
A: My beloved mother Indranee Hapugalle was the first to cultivate my innate love for music through her very own deep passion for music with over 50 years of dedication in teaching.
She lives in me each day as I love and seek to discover new musical depth and skills, to give back in teaching and performance.
I am passionately committed to my education projects, and reaching students, teachers and wider forums internationally, and have dedicated many events to her memory.
Q: What values do you aim to instil in your students, beyond the technical aspects of music?
A: To love communicating their ‘musical narrative,’ created to touch and transform their hearts and minds, and in turn strive to transform audiences.
In classical music, it is important to honour the composer’s intent as a foundation. A multifaceted technique needs to be developed to suit his or her narrative with a holistic connection to touch, ‘listening in,’ and producing a wide dimension of instrumental sound and harmonic colour that translates into fluidity of emotion along with a poetic melodic narrative.
Overall, be inspired to cultivate dedication, creativity and passionate share. Enjoy a daily balance of exploration, deeper listening in, analysis and rewarding growth – and taking challenges. Open their hearts to humanity, diverse cultural etiquette, mindful dialogue within the music. Love sharing a courageous new musical vision!
Q: How has being listed as a Steinway Concert Artist influenced your career – and what does that recognition mean to you on a personal level?
A: Steinway Grand Pianos account for 80 percent of global higher end piano sales. There are over 2,000 International Steinway Concert Artists to date in its 171 year tenure.
They’re selected by the company’s concert artists board. The list includes immortal pianist composers George Gershwin and Sergei Rachmaninoff, concert pianists Daniel Barenboim and Yuja Wang, and popular musicians Billy Joel and Diana Krall. I’m touched and honoured to have been included in this list since 2001!
A Steinway piano has helped heighten my musical vision. I greatly appreciate the accessibility of its pianos globally whenever I travel. I admire the philosophy and culture of the company – its focus on creating instruments that represent sustaining the highest musical excellence and fostering exclusive ongoing customer care.
Q: Looking ahead, what legacy do you hope to leave through your teaching and performances?
A: I am eager to bring the above and more valued mindful qualities to musical creativity and learning musical share – so we can together create valued unity, and nuanced harmonious understanding and enrichment, as a renewed focus in our global community.
And also try to support a concert piano worthy of highest level performances and quality musical education programmes to aid the growth of younger generations.
I am eager to bring the above and more valued mindful qualities to musical creativity and learning musical share
FACT FILE
FAMILY
Husband – Prasanna Amerasinghe
Sister – Ruvini Gunasekera
Brother – Priyanga Hapugalle
Mother – the late Indranee Hapugalle
Father – the late Paddy Hapugalle
SCHOOLING
Ladies’ College
HIGHER EDUCATION
Royal College of Music (London) – scholar for undergraduate and post-graduate studies and prize winner of many competitions.
PRESENT OCCUPATIONS
Concert pianist
Steinway artist
Educator
International adjudicator
Lecture recitalist
Recording artiste
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE
USA
CITY OF RESIDENCE
San Francisco
CV IN A NUTSHELL
Sujeeva Hapugalle has been listed in the prestigious international roster of Steinway Concert Artists since 2001. She is recognised for her artistry, engaging performances and special affinity with audiences from around the world – and for her work in music education and many musical initiatives.
Hapugalle began her musical studies in Sri Lanka with her mother Indranee Hapugalle and Mary Billimoria. She went on to study at the Royal College of Music in London as a scholarship winner of the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music London. She is an international prize winner who has featured on Classic FM UK/BBC Television
“She is an artist who never fails to reach an audience by communicating the spirit of the music. Here is a pianist of rare calibre…” – Beethoven Society of Europe.