Camilo Pérez-Mejía

Camilo Pérez-Mejía

Conductor of the Charles Washington Symphony Orchestra

Mr. Pérez-Mejía earned a Bachelor of Music in 1998 from the Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia. In 2000, he moved to Winchester, VA to study at Shenandoah University to study with Julian Tryczynski, cellist of Trio Cracovia. While there, he earned an M.M. (2002) in Cello Performance, then returned to earn an Artist Diploma in Quartet Studies (2008) under the guidance of the Audubon Quartet. Concurrently, he completed all the coursework in the DMA performance program, while studying with C. Thomas Shaw.

He was a concerto competition winner with both the Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia, Universidad Javeriana and Shenandoah University Conservatory Orchestra. During his time as a student and as a young professional, he performed with diverse ensembles in North, Central, and South America, as well as Italy.

Currently, most of his performing happens in the greater D.C. Metro area as principal cellist for the Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra, as a member of the Argot String Quartet, Two Rivers String Quartet, flute/cello duo Entropy In Two, and as section cellist or soloist for various ensembles and events. He has served as principal cellist for Pro-Arte Chamber Orchestra of Greater Washington, assistant principal for Loudoun Symphony Orchestra, and member of the Temple Trio.

It was teaching that ultimately led to his conducting career, which started while completing undergraduate studies in Colombia. Since then he has directed string ensembles for schools in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He teaches cello and bass at Barbara Ingram School for the Arts in Hagerstown, MD,  and is the adjunct cello professor at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, WV.

In 2012 Mr. Pérez-Mejía became the founding music director of the Charles Washington Symphony Orchestra and continues to direct this semi-professional ensemble, which includes outstanding high school students, in unexpected community settings. He is also music director and conductor of the Shepherd Community Orchestra, which is a home to community members and Shepherd University students. This past year, he had the honor of conducting his fellow faculty cellists at the Farewell Concert of Cellospeak and was as guest conductor for the Loudoun Symphony.