ABOUT KIRA
Bandleader, saxophonist, composer and arranger Kira Daglio Fine grew up in Lexington, MA and is currently working towards her Masters in Jazz Composition at New England Conservatory. She won the 2022 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award for her big band piece "The Towers," which she wrote while studying Studio Jazz Writing at the Frost School of Music in Miami.
Kira is the founder and former director of the student big band at Columbia University, as well as the leader of her own big band, the KDF Big Band (formerly the Young Lions Jazz Orchestra), which performs throughout greater Boston and beyond. She has appeared at venues such as the Regattabar, the Lilypad, and MIT's Killian Hall in Cambridge, MA as well as Cornelia Street Cafe, Symphony Space, Silvana and The Shrine in New York City. She has shared the stage with and composed for the likes of Ron Carter, Jon Faddis, Miguel Zenon, and Steve Nelson, and has studied with esteemed musicians such as Maria Schneider, Frank Carlberg, Steve Guerra, Don Sickler, and Mike Tucker. Kira's musical influences include Duke Ellington, Jorge Drexler, Thad Jones, Cannonball Adderley, and Miles Davis, among others. |
THE KDF BIG BAND
Under Kira's direction, the KDF Big Band (formerly the Young Lions Jazz Orchestra) is a 16-piece jazz ensemble comprised of some of the best young emerging artists in the Northeast. The original project stemmed from her student-led big band at Columbia University— upon graduating, Kira began to pursue ways of engaging her peers professionally and performing in venues across the city. She established the Young Lions Jazz Orchestra as a means to develop her unique musical voice; the group balances convention and novelty by placing an emphasis on original compositions and arrangements.
After being forced to disband in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Kira has now established this second edition ensemble to bring her music back to audiences in the Boston area and beyond. The KDF Big Band offers a fresh and exciting approach to the big band style. Their repertoire draws heavily from the swing tradition and Kira's Latina heritage, as well as a wide selection of influences— from Ellington to D’Angelo to Jorge Drexler and beyond. Captained by their ambitious leader, The KDF Big Band is certainly a group to watch out for; this diverse collective of up-and-coming musicians is dedicated to illuminating musical perspectives previously unheard. |
Check out the calendar for details on upcoming shows.
Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and sign up for the mailing list for updates.
Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and sign up for the mailing list for updates.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY BIG BAND
In the fall of 2015, Kira founded the first student-run big band at Columbia University, with the support of the school's Music Performance Program. The band consists of some of the top student musicians in the program and performs regularly on campus, primarily at the MPP's semesterly concerts and social events with the CU Swing Club. Kira directed, managed, wrote for and performed with the Columbia big band for over four years before passing the baton to the band's new student leader in 2019.
|