Jayatissa Alahakoon

Visharada Alahakoonge Don Jayatissa (born 6 May 1932 – died 23 January 2019 as ) [Sinhala]), popularly known as Jayatissa Alahakoon, was a prolific music director and composer in Sri Lankan cinema and theater.

Personal life He was born on 6 May 1932 in Attanagalla, Nittambuwa, Sri Lanka. He grew up in a small house next to the New Olympia Cinema on Daly Road in Maradana. His father Alahakoonge Don Martin Perera was a playwright and singer at the Tower Hall. His father also acted in the early films such as Podi Putha and Rekhava. From 1946 to 1985 he lived on Dudley Road, Maradana, Colombo. Jayatissa completed education from Maradana Sri Sangharaja Central College.

He was married to Anula Dissanayake of Peradeniya. The couple had four sons: Waruna, Aruna, Nuwan, Anuradha and two daughters: Waruni and Geetha. Eldest son Waruna is the Deputy Director of the Aesthetics Division of the Ministry of Education. Geetha is a dancer who plays a major role in the play Vikruthi. In 1968 he passed the Central Examination from the Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University, Lucknow and was appointed as a Government Music Teacher and worked in several schools in the island. In 1961, while directing the music, three talented musicians were selected for the orchestra for the play Sakkarawattama. They were Sarath Dassanayake with sitar, Victor Rathnayake with violin and Wijeratne Ranatunga with tabla. Among the plays he composed music for are columns, plays, lyric plays, sealing plays, realistic plays, stylized plays. Mungen Ang, Mudalinayake Somaratne's Gini Kandu and Suneth Gokula's Ran Pihatu.

Meanwhile, he also composed music for several popular artists: "Ai Thavamath Mula Wenna" and "Minimuthu Nehe Mata" (by Wijeratne Warakagoda), "Galak Pala Galak Dutimi" and "Amma Amma" (by Mallika Perera), "Kap Suwahas Kal" and "Kuravi Kevillan" (by Nanda Malini). During this period, he has worked as a music teacher at Sanghabodhi Vidyalaya, Maradana and Vidyawardana Vidyalaya, Borella. His final music direction came through G. D. L.'s film Hora Police.

Filmography Year Film Role Ref. 1965 Saama Composer 1968 Dahasak Sithuvili Composer 1968 Hora Police Composer 1976 Sirisena Saha Violinaya Sirisena 2000 Chakrayudha Composer