Kira Shiner

Kira Shiner is a young up-and-coming oboist from British Columbia, Canada. She recently completed her Master of Music degree at the University of Ottawa under the tutelage of Charles Hamann. Kira has also attended Bard College Conservatory where she studied with Elaine Douvas and the University of Toronto, studying with Sarah Jeffrey. During the summer months, Kira has participated in numerous music festivals including the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, L’Orchestre de la Francophonie, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra Mentorship Program. These programs have allowed her to tour across Canada, Germany, and the UK.

As an active freelancer, Kira has performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Kingston Symphony Orchestra, Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, and l’Orchestre Symphonique de Gatineau. She was the recipient of the Piccolo Prix during the 2022 NACO Bursary Competition and has performed multiple times at the NAC’s Fourth Stage. She is very excited to fill the Associate Principal Oboe chair with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra from May through to November 2023.

Apart from performing, Kira has started a podcast called “Measures of Progress” with her friends and colleagues, Emily Brownlee and Glenda Lindgren. They discuss famous classical pieces from the past and connect them to contemporary pieces written by living composers. Through this medium, they share the interesting history behind some of the greatest compositions in classical music and advocate for the music of today. In her spare time, Kira enjoys visiting museums and art galleries, and drinking tea with friends.