Shireen Abu-Khader is a Palestinian Jordanian Canadian composer, conductor, and music educator whose work bridges Arabic musical heritage with contemporary choral and interdisciplinary expression. Based in Toronto, she is the founder of Dozan World, a platform dedicated to publishing, teaching, and sharing Levantine choral repertoire with global audiences. Her music, rooted in the sonic, poetic, and rhythmic traditions of the Arab world, invites singers into a space of connection, memory, and cultural curiosity.

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Shireen’s compositions have been commissioned and performed internationally, including by the National Youth Choir of Canada, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (where she served as Composer-in-Residence), Southern Tier Singers Collective, Young Voices Toronto, and university choirs across North America. Known for weaving Arabic modalities with contemporary choral textures, her works such as 'I Forgive,' 'Nabd,' 'Ma Ziltu Hayyan,' and more reflect a distinctive musical voice grounded in both innovation and ancestral resonance.

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A sought-after clinician, Shireen has led workshops and residencies with ACDA chapters, university music departments, and community choirs, offering an accessible and authentic approach to Arabic repertoire. She is also the co-developer of the Arabic and Middle Eastern IPA system, a groundbreaking tool enabling choirs worldwide to approach Arabic diction with clarity and confidence.

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In addition to her choral work, Shireen is a co-founder, composer, and performer with USUL Ensemble, a Toronto-based group blending Arabic classical tradition with contemporary storytelling. 

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Through every facet of her work, Shireen remains dedicated to building artistic bridges, amplifying narratives of belonging, resilience, and cultural dignity through music.

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