Multi-instrumentalist

It’s not always that we come across an artiste who is a multi-instrumentalist and is, in fact, referred to as a one man band!

Well, Sampath Fernando falls into this category of one man band – playing keyboards, guitar, mandolin, trumpet, percussion, and pan flute.

However, Sampath’s scene doesn’t end there.

He says if the need arises, as a three-piece setup, performing as QUEST, they can produce the sounds of an eight-piece band.

In his 30 years of experience in the music scene, he has composed and created many theme songs, and jingles, for some of our TV and radio stations.

He has also composed and produced songs with Umariya, Dushan and Shihan Nihiranga.

An old boy of St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa, he says he has been involved in many music projects -sing-along fundraisers, school talent identification, etc.

Originally, QUEST was a big band and was seen in action at five-star venues, weddings, corporate events, and private functions, and their repertoire was a mixture of western and local.

Sampath says they were also featured, on the opening day, at the Tri-Nation show, held in Dhaka, for the 2010 Cricket World Cup.

In has also taken his music to the USA, German and France.