Bio
Kayra Caner was born in Istanbul, Turkey. She started to play the piano at age 5. She participated in Pera International Piano Festival in Istanbul. She was a guest as a young musician at “Açık Radyo” radio station. She completed her bachelor’s degree in music composition and sound engineering at Istanbul Bilgi University. She got accepted for “Sesin Yolculuğu” Festival in 2020 as a young composer. She graduated from grade 8 of ABRSM piano performance exam and participated in Bilgi New Music Festival with her composition “Pont de la Concorde” performed by Oerknal Ensemble. She composed a work for Land’s End Ensemble for their “Clocks. Clouds, and Colours” concert. She created her piece “Lebenslauf” for a collaboration with Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. She also performed two of her compositions in JazzFest: New Music and Free Jazz. Additionally, in 2022 and 2023, as the president of University of Calgary Graduate Music Society, she organized the international music graduate conferences. She earned Taylor Institute Teaching and Learning Certificate for Graduate Students. In 2024, she completed her master’s degree in music composition at the University of Calgary.
Work Experience
2022 – PRESENT
Piano and Composition Teacher / Asylum for Art, Calgary
01/2023 – 05/2023
Sound Recording Class Teaching Assistant / University of Calgary, Calgary
09/2022 – 05/2023
Music Listening Class Teaching Assistant / University of Calgary, Calgary
08/2021 – 05/2022
Chromatic Harmony Class Teaching Assistant / University of Calgary, Calgary
Education
2024
University of Calgary
Master’s, MMus Music Composition
2021
Istanbul Bilgi University
BMus Music Composition and Sound Engineering
2021
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
Grade 8 in Piano Performance
Milestones
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2010: Participated in the Pera International Piano Festival in Istanbul.
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2014: Was a guest at the “Açık Radyo” radio station as a young musician.
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2020: Got accepted for the Sesin Yolculuğu Festival as a young composer.
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2021: Completed grade 8 of the ABRSM piano performance exam.
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2021: Participated in Bilgi New Music Festival with her composition “Pont de la Concorde.” Oerknal Ensemble performed the piece.
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2021-2023: Became the treasurer of the University of Calgary School of Creative and Performing Arts Graduate Society (SCPAGS).
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2021-2023: Became the president of the University of Calgary Graduate Music Society (GMS).
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2022: Composed “Des Glückes Stummes Schweigen” for Land’s End Ensemble for their “Clocks. Clouds, and Colours” concert.
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2022: As the president of GMS, organized an online international conference, “Confounding Expectations 2022: Cultural Assimilation in Music and Its Authenticity.”
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2022-2023: Became the departmental steward at the University of Calgary Graduate Students’ Association.
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2023: Composed “Lebenslauf” for a collaboration with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.
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2023: As the president of GMS, organized a hybrid international conference, “Confounding Expectations 2023: Creativity, Expression, and Emotion in Music”.
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2023-2024: Composed “Shuyo Nella” as a part of master’s thesis. It will be performed by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in February 2024.