Kyra Mariah Stahr

Kyra Stahr (she/her) has founded her career as a conductor, educator, and vocalist on compassion and empathy, encouraging singers to approach music from a place of vulnerability. Stahr believes in the humanity of choral singing and motivates 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, Choral Literature, and Vocal Pedagogy. She is also a Conducting Fellow with Spire Chamber Ensemble, Assistant Conductor of Seraphic Fire, and a DMA candidate in Choral Conducting at the University of Miami, where she studied with Dr. Amanda Quist and Dr. Matthew Brady. At Frost, she conducted Bella Voce, Chamber Singers, and Symphonic Choir and served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.

Stahr holds an M.M. in Choral Music from the University of Southern California (USC) where she studied under Dr. Cristian Grases, Dr. Tram Sparks, Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe, and Dr. Nick Strimple. At USC, she was Associate Conductor of Oriana, Associate Director of the South Bay Children’s Choir, served on the Thornton Student Council, and was ACDA student chapter president. She was selected for the 2022 ACDA Eastern Graduate Conducting Masterclass and was awarded the 2022 USC Chamber Singers Ensemble Award, 2023 USC Choral Music Departmental Award, and 2023 Pi Kappa Lambda Eta Chapter Masters Student Award. 

Prior to her time at USC, Stahr graduated from Miami University, where she studied under Dr. Jeremy Jones and Dr. William Bausano. She earned her B.M. in Vocal Performance and Music Education, graduating summa cum laude with dual minors in Special Education and Musical Theatre. During her time at Miami, she led an inclusive choir for adults with disabilities and received the “Outstanding Future Music Educator” award. Most recently, she was recognized as a distinguished alumna with the university’s “18 of the Last 9” award—modeled after Forbes’ 30 Under 30—to honor emerging leaders who have graduated within the past nine years.

Stahr is from Arlington, Virginia, where she served as the choral director at Bishop O'Connell High School, building the program and earning a Social Emotional Facilitator certificate. She served as the Virginia Senior Honor Choir registration chair and adjudicated for the Virginia Middle School Honor Choir. In 2019, she guest conducted the Shenandoah All-County Treble Chorus and was the Northern Virginia Diocesan Youth Honors Choir director in 2020.

A sought-after guest conductor, clinician, and presenter, she was recently selected for the 2025 ACDA National Graduate Student Conducting Masterclass and the 2026 International Conductors Exchange Program with Portugal. Her presentations have spanned international, national, and regional platforms, including the World Symposium on Choral Music in Istanbul, the ACDA National Convention, the College Music Society National Conference, TMEA, FMEA, NAfME, FLACDA, and the ACDA Southern and SWACDA conferences.

In addition to presenting and conducting, Stahr co-founded and co-hosts the podcast conduct(her) with her sister McKenna Stenson. Conduct(her) amplifies the voices of women conductors and composers while exploring the gender divide in the choral music field.

In her free time, she enjoys teaching group fitness classes and spending time with her husband Michael, and their two cats, Bagel and Cali.