NEW YORK— His gentle pluck on his sitar strings brings even the flight of a bumble bee into a mystical trance and a magical world of breathtaking musical splendor.

As Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Nirupama Sen once said of Pradeep, "Then your soul, your mind is colored by vibrant and incandescent color, and the essence is music".

The most awaited Sri Lankan musical event in New York in 2009 lived beyond expectations with a Carnegie Hall audience rising to it’s feet as the Kandyan drumbeat and Pradeep’s sitar captured the final moments of the ‘Turanga Vannama’ bringing a crescendo of cheers from the packed hall.

With a mixed American and international audience at Carnegie’s Weill Hall applauding continuously, it was a moment of pride for all Sri Lankans.

In the audience was UN Ambassador Dr, Palitha Kohona who in a short note remarked, "‘It was a pleasure to listen to Pradeep at Carnegie Hall. His group and he kept the audience mesmerized with their creations which brought into harmony some key instruments from the Western tradition with the Kandyan drum, tabla and the sitar.

 ‘’The rich collage of entrancing sound that they produced was immensely rewarding. I wish Pradeep the very best as develops as a musician. Sri Lanka will be continue to be proud of this extremely talented artiste and will follow his progress with interest."

Broadway star Yolande Bavan, with a sense of nostalgia and appreciation observed, "Pradeep Ratnayake is a virtuoso sitar player with the heightened sensitivities of a passionate, joy filled musician.  The use of instruments endemic to ones country and culture, in this instance the  Kandyan drum to my way of thinking, is an important ingredient to be added to creating fusion music.

Prescient in bridging East and West through music (the Highest Purest Divine Energy there is) it etches in our hearts that  WE ARE THE WORLD".

Pradeep Ratnayake is undeniably Sri Lanka’s quintessential music man with the sitar to come out of those shores out to the world.

His virtuosity as a composer and his versatility as a performer bringing his style of fusion music into the twenty first century is no doubt a triumph of the Sri Lankan spirit and endurance. Compared incessantly to Ravi Shankar as the future flag bearer of Shankar’s place in the sitar world, Pradeep could well be a worthy successor.

It was a rewarding experience for me to be associated with Pradeep’s first exposure on the US stage together with his troupe in 2005.

The group’s initial performance at the Asia Society and later completing a coast to coast tour of North America including Canada, when Pradeep mesmerized the North American audience wherever he played including at the Walt Disney Theatre in Los Angeles ending at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.

The numerous accolades he received from sophisticated music critics led to his being accepted on a Fulbright Scholar Program in music at Columbia University New York which he is now pursuing.

"Pradeepanjalee" is a style of concert which originated in the astute mind of young Pradeep after returning to Sri Lanka having received his Bachelors & Masters under Professor Indranil Bhattacharya in Santiniketan India. Worthy of note is when he completed his Bachelors Degree he had received the highest ever marks for the sitar up to that date.

Each "Pradeepanjalee" concert often differs in its music content not only in repertoire but in style and accompaniment as well.

What we experienced at Carnegie Hall on November 20th is "Pradeepanjalee" with a unique ensemble comprising essentially of talented ‘All American’ musicians accompanying the maestro in true Sri Lankan sound and fashion. The accompaniment consisted of Violinist Miranda Cuckson winner of the Presser Music Award.

He was described by NY Times as "fiercely gifted and a brilliant young performer with insight, honesty and temperament".

Finally Nalinda Pieris on the Kandyan drum, the only Sri Lankan besides Pradeep in the concert, captivated an enthralled audience.

Not since Heen Baba and his troupe of Sri Lanka performed at Carnegie in the early 70’s was the beat of the Kandyan drum heard here at Carnegie. Nalinda is a member of the well known Sri Lankan percussion band "Naadro".