Kyra Stahr

Biography

Kyra Stahr is a visionary conductor, educator and vocalist who has built her career empowering singers to embrace their potential with confidence and fostering community through song. She believes in the transformative power of choral music and leads ensembles with authenticity, courage and determination.

She currently serves as assistant teaching professor at Syracuse University, where she conducts the premier treble ensemble, Crouse Chorale, and teaches graduate choral conducting, undergraduate conducting, Advanced Rehearsal Techniques and courses in choral literature and voice. Stahr is also a D.M.A. candidate in choral conducting at the University of Miami, a conducting fellow with Spire Chamber Ensemble and assistant conductor of Seraphic Fire. Her previous appointments include graduate teaching assistant and instructor at the University of Miami and associate conductor of the Master Chorale of South Florida.

Stahr earned an M.M. in choral music from the University of Southern California and a B.M. in vocal performance and music education from Miami University. As an undergraduate, she led an inclusive choir for adults with disabilities and received the Outstanding Future Music Educator award. Most recently, she was honored as a distinguished alumna with Miami University’s 18 of the Last 9 award—modeled after Forbes’ 30 Under 30—recognizing emerging leaders who have graduated within the past nine years. At USC, she was selected for the 2022 ACDA Eastern Graduate Conducting Masterclass and awarded the 2023 USC Choral Music Departmental Award and the Pi Kappa Lambda Eta Chapter Master’s Student Award.

A sought-after guest conductor, clinician and presenter, Stahr was recently selected for the 2025 ACDA National Graduate Student Conducting Masterclass and the 2026 International Conductors Exchange Program with Portugal. Her work has been showcased at international, national and regional events, including the World Symposium on Choral Music in Istanbul, ACDA National, the College Music Society National Conference, TMEA, FMEA, FLACDA, and ACDA Southern and SWACDA conferences. As a vocalist, she has sung with Seraphic Fire, the premier ensembles at each of her institutions and served as soprano section leader and soloist for the Interlochen Adult Choir Camp.

In addition to her artistic work, Stahr co-founded and co-hosts the podcast “conduct(her)” with her sister, McKenna Stenson. With more than 14,000 listeners, “conduct(her)” amplifies the voices of women conductors, composers and arts leaders while addressing the gender divide in the choral music field. Building on this work, their research on gender equity in choral music was recently published in the Choral Journal.

Education

• D.M.A. (In Progress), University of Miami
• M.M., University of Southern California
• B.M., Miami University

Areas of Expertise

Choral conducting, choral music