John Peiris

John Peiris began his musical journey at the tender age of 3 with the piano, followed by the violin at the age of 8, marking the genesis of his lifelong devotion to music. He has been a member of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra (MetSO) since the age of 14 where he serves currently as Joint Concertmaster. His journey within MetSO in the past five years has been adorned with accolades, including Section Co-Principal at the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Gala at Government House Western Australia and notably Concertmaster at the MetSO Christmas concert in 2023, and Concertmaster at the 2025 Summer Season concert at the Taryn Fiebig Concert Hall Churchland SHS.

John has made fast progress in the last few years hitting some ‘high notes’ being selected to perform at the Christmas in the Quads concert for the past three years, as part of the UWA St. George’s College Music programme where he played alongside Riley Skevington, Associate Concertmaster at the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) and Head of Strings at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) under the direction of esteemed international Conductor and Music Director, Mark Coughlan. John's musical virtuosity has not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by his role in Violin 1 at the West Coast Philharmonic Orchestra (WCPO) in the past three years and the Joondalup Symphony Orchestra (JSO) in the past four years, where he is also the Concertmaster since 2025.

His musical prowess extends beyond the orchestral realm during his teenage years. His passion and love for music, evidenced by numerous achievements at a very young age, including being concertmaster for the Churchlands Senior High School Tapestry Orchestra and gracing the stage with ensembles at Churchlands Primary School and Perth Modern School Senior Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed in the Western Australian Youth String Orchestra (WAYS), as well as numerous chamber music ensembles at Perth Modern School and fundraising recitals for charities like the Ivory Tutoring fundraising concert for Ukraine.

John also has a keen passion for singing, having performed with the West Australian Charity Orchestra, West Coast Philharmonic Chorus for 5 seasons, as well as multiple chamber choirs at Perth Modern School. His vocal journey began in 2011 with the Australian Youth Choir and joining Aaralyn Children’s Choir soon after performing at Government House, the ANZAC Day Memorial Services at Supreme Court Gardens and numerous concerts at Perth Concert Hall.

In addition to his mastery of the violin and voice, John continues to explore diverse musical genres, from jazz ensembles to Contemporary Guitar ensembles and Jazz Bands, where he effortlessly transitions between electric guitar and bass guitar transferring his skills with multiple string instruments. His musical ambitions are equally diverse, as he seeks to bridge the gap between classical and contemporary genres, blending his classical training with innovative performances.

As he embarks on the journey ahead, John's vision is clear: to forge a pathway that integrates his violin performance prowess with in-depth music studies and composition. With his unwavering dedication and boundless creativity, John Peiris is poised to leave an indelible mark on the world of music, inspiring audiences with his artistry and passion for making music.

John Peiris gained a perfect ATAR score of 99.95 at his WACE in 2024 and is the honoured recipient of a prestigious UWA Winthrop Scholarship studying a Bachelor of Biomedicine (Specialised) Integrated Medical Sciences and Clinical Practice (IMSCP) with an Assured pathway to the Doctor of Medicine (MD).