Shanie Klas

Principal Percussion

Shanie Klas joined the Opera Australia Orchestra as Principal Percussion in 2025. Shanie has performed extensively with orchestras across Australia and the United States. In the US she held the position of Associate Principal Percussion with the Canton Symphony Orchestra and performed with The Cleveland Orchestra, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and Akron Symphony Orchestra, among others. In Australia she has performed with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria where she has also appeared as Guest Principal Percussion.

Originally from Melbourne, Shanie holds a Bachelor’s degree from Monash University, studying with John Arcaro, Robert Clarke and later with Shaun Trubiano. During her time in the US, she completed a Master’s degree from Northwestern University where she studied with She-e Wu, Christopher Lamb and Vadim Karpinos. Shanie went on to complete a Graduate Diploma under the tutelage of Marc Damoulakis and Paul Yancich at the Cleveland Institute of Music where she spent her final year as the Robinson Orchestral Career Fellow.

As a soloist Shanie has performed concertos with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Monash Academy Orchestra. She was awarded first prize in the Australian Marimba Competition (2015) and was a National semi-finalist of the ABC Young Performer Award (2012).