The Shepherd Community Orchestra is a student-based community ensemble in residence at Shepherd University, under the direction of Camilo Pérez-Mejía. It provides opportunities for over 70 local string students to play in an orchestra of outstanding caliber. Shepherd University Music faculty string coaches for the orchestra are Heather Austin-Stone for violin I, Renee Shaw Nutwell for violin II, Kathy Gleason for viola, Camilo Pérez-Mejía for cello.
The Shepherd Community Orchestra is under the direction of Camilo Perez-Mejia. The spring semester will begin on January 10, 2024. Auditions for new string players will be on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 before the main rehearsal begins. If you are an advanced string musician and would like to audition for the Shepherd Community Orchestra, please email communitymusic@shepherd.edu. Participants should prepare a solo piece of music, a 3-octave scale, and there will be sight-reading. The orchestra meets each week from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Frank Arts Center.
In alliance with the Shepherd University School of Music, area string students work with collegiate level string students, affording them performance experience with string orchestral repertoire. The Shepherd Community Orchestra has continued to grow and has created a needed musical outlet for area students that did not exist for string players before the orchestra began in 1998. Heralded as one of the best orchestras for youth opportunities in the region, the Shepherd Community Orchestra looks to expand its strings section.
Younger or inexperienced string students may audition for the Sinfonia: A Learning String Ensemble, under the direction of Renee Shaw Nutwell. Members are comprised of elementary, middle and high school, and adult string students from Jefferson and Berkeley Counties in West Virginia, and Washington County, MD. The ensemble meets Wednesday evenings between 6:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. and presents two concerts during the school year. Enrollment will be open and based on an audition process on January 10, 2024. The first rehearsal will also be on January 10. If you are an intermediate string musician and would like to audition for the Shepherd Community Orchestra, please email communitymusic@shepherd.edu.Participants should prepare a solo piece of music, a 2-octave scale, and there will be sight-reading.
Spring semester rehearsals begin January 10 – April 17, 2024.
End of semester concert performance is on April 24 at 7:30 pm in the Frank Arts Center.
Tuition: $150 Registration Form
Questions? email communitymusic@shepherd.edu