Cello and Piano Recital by Avishka Edirisinghe, piano and Danushka Edirisinghe, cello.
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The Chamber Music Society of Colombo presents Avishka and Danushka Edirisinghe, two wonderful young professional musicians from London who will be making their long overdue Colombo debut as a piano-cello duo on the 11th of August at 7:30 pm at the Goethe-Institute Hall. Program details will be posted when available.
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Avishka Edirisinghe is a British–Sri Lankan pianist and conductor, specialising in opera. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Music Performance from Imperial College London and the Royal College of Music (RCM), and a Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano and Conducting from the RCM.
Avishka’s passion for opera began during his undergraduate studies, where he first started working with singers. As an accompanist, he distinguished himself by winning all of the RCM’s art song competitions, as well as receiving the Pianist’s Prize at the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Awards, held at London’s Wigmore Hall—one of the UK’s most acclaimed chamber music venues.
During the final year of his master’s studies, Avishka was appointed as the English National Opera’s (ENO) Assistant Chorus Director Fellow. In this role, he assisted the Chorus Master in preparing the ENO Chorus across all productions for the season. In January 2023, he stepped into the role of Acting Chorus Master, preparing the chorus for major productions including Carmen (Bizet), Akhnaten (Philip Glass), and Die tote Stadt (Korngold).
In September 2023, Avishka joined the Mascarade Opera Studio in Florence, Italy, as an Emerging Artist. There, he continued his development as an opera pianist and conductor, collaborating closely with singers in the studio. His time in Italy included performances at the world-renowned Teatro La Fenice in Venice and the preparation of singers for a production at Florence’s historic Teatro della Pergola.
Since returning to the UK, Avishka has worked extensively with leading opera companies. At the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, he has served as an Opera Pianist, Assistant Chorus Master, and Assistant Conductor across several productions. He has also worked with Garsington Opera as an Assistant Conductor and conducted the Chineke! Orchestra in their Christmas concerts in London.
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Danushka Edirisinghe is a postgraduate student at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM), studying with Hannah Roberts. During his studies, he has won several prestigious awards, including the May Mukle/Douglas Cameron Cello Prize, the Strings and Piano Duo Prize, and graduated, receiving the Sir John Barbirolli Memorial Prize. In 2022, he was awarded first prize at the Haslemere International String Competition, leading to a performance of Haydn’s D Major Cello Concerto with the London Mozart Players. In January 2025, he performed Sollima’s “Violoncelles, Vibrez!” as a soloist with the Britten Sinfonia to a sold-out Barbican Hall.
Danushka is a member of the Isla String Quartet, who were selected as Britten Pears Young Artists for 2023-2024. The quartet has performed at venues such as Jubilee Hall and Smith Square Hall and toured the Southwest of France. They have also collaborated with Brett Dean and Ryan Wigglesworth, and receive regular coaching from members of the Doric String Quartet and Marmen Quartet. In 2024, they won the inaugural RAM Nina Drucker Haydn String Quartet Prize, as well as the Harold Craxton Prize.
As a freelance orchestral musician, Danushka has performed with ensembles such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Sinfonia of London, London Symphony Orchestra, and Royal Northern Sinfonia. His festival appearances include the Lucerne Festival, Aldeburgh Festival, and BBC Proms.
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Avishka Edirisinghe is a British–Sri Lankan pianist and conductor, specialising in opera. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Music Performance from Imperial College London and the Royal College of Music (RCM), and a Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano and Conducting from the RCM.
Avishka’s passion for opera began during his undergraduate studies, where he first started working with singers. As an accompanist, he distinguished himself by winning all of the RCM’s art song competitions, as well as receiving the Pianist’s Prize at the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Awards, held at London’s Wigmore Hall—one of the UK’s most acclaimed chamber music venues.
During the final year of his master’s studies, Avishka was appointed as the English National Opera’s (ENO) Assistant Chorus Director Fellow. In this role, he assisted the Chorus Master in preparing the ENO Chorus across all productions for the season. In January 2023, he stepped into the role of Acting Chorus Master, preparing the chorus for major productions including Carmen (Bizet), Akhnaten (Philip Glass), and Die tote Stadt (Korngold).
In September 2023, Avishka joined the Mascarade Opera Studio in Florence, Italy, as an Emerging Artist. There, he continued his development as an opera pianist and conductor, collaborating closely with singers in the studio. His time in Italy included performances at the world-renowned Teatro La Fenice in Venice and the preparation of singers for a production at Florence’s historic Teatro della Pergola.
Since returning to the UK, Avishka has worked extensively with leading opera companies. At the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, he has served as an Opera Pianist, Assistant Chorus Master, and Assistant Conductor across several productions. He has also worked with Garsington Opera as an Assistant Conductor and conducted the Chineke! Orchestra in their Christmas concerts in London.
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Danushka Edirisinghe is a postgraduate student at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM), studying with Hannah Roberts. During his studies, he has won several prestigious awards, including the May Mukle/Douglas Cameron Cello Prize, the Strings and Piano Duo Prize, and graduated, receiving the Sir John Barbirolli Memorial Prize. In 2022, he was awarded first prize at the Haslemere International String Competition, leading to a performance of Haydn’s D Major Cello Concerto with the London Mozart Players. In January 2025, he performed Sollima’s “Violoncelles, Vibrez!” as a soloist with the Britten Sinfonia to a sold-out Barbican Hall.
Danushka is a member of the Isla String Quartet, who were selected as Britten Pears Young Artists for 2023-2024. The quartet has performed at venues such as Jubilee Hall and Smith Square Hall and toured the Southwest of France. They have also collaborated with Brett Dean and Ryan Wigglesworth, and receive regular coaching from members of the Doric String Quartet and Marmen Quartet. In 2024, they won the inaugural RAM Nina Drucker Haydn String Quartet Prize, as well as the Harold Craxton Prize.
As a freelance orchestral musician, Danushka has performed with ensembles such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Sinfonia of London, London Symphony Orchestra, and Royal Northern Sinfonia. His festival appearances include the Lucerne Festival, Aldeburgh Festival, and BBC Proms.
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