Shakira is currently in her second year at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland studying with Alison Wells. She grew up in Edinburgh and attended the City of Edinburgh Music School, St Mary’s Music School and the Junior Royal Conservatoire of Scotland .
During her time at RCS, she has been awarded first place in the Ian D Watt competition for cellists and was a finalist in the governors’ recital prize for chamber music. She was also the senior winner of the Beatrice Huntington award for cellists, and a finalist at the Edinburgh competition festival where she played the Elgar cello concerto with orchestra in the Queens Hall.
From the age of 10, she has participated in multiple masterclasses with Steven Isserlis, Philip Higham, Nicolas Altstaedt, Gautier Capuçon, Hannah Roberts and Pieter Wispelwey. She has received assistance from Awards for Young Musicians, Future Talent, and the Felicity Belfield Music Trust, who generously loaned her a cello.
Shakira regularly participates in courses such as Music Embodied and the Aboyne cello festival, where she met Sophia Rahman, who continues to work with her as a mentor, including at Cello Dynamo, a course for aspiring cellists.
Shakira recently performed Tchaikovsky’s Rococo variations as part of Maureen Stringer’s concert series.
Outside of playing Shakira enjoys reading, painting, coffee, shopping and spending time out doors.