Growing up in a musical family, Kyla was exposed to different genres of music and more than hinted at her connection with the trumpet at a very early age. It wasn’t long after Kyla began studying trumpet at the age of 9 that she came on the radar of players in both the classical and jazz arenas with her unique sound, technique and performance poise far beyond her years. 

Kyla has performed around the globe from an early age. During the summer of 2006 Kyla was invited by Stomvi Trumpets to perform as a guest soloist at the annual summer music festival, Ciclo Internacional Conciertos in Navajas, Spain. In October, 2007, she was a featured performer on From the Top’s NPR live radio taped concert at Mechanics Hall in Worcester Massachusetts. She was again invited to be featured on “From the Top Live at Carnegie Hall”, taped for TV performance on February 27, 2008.

A recipient of the 2013 Manhattan School of Music Carmine Caruso Scholarship, Kyla has studied with Vincent Penzarella, Mark Gould, Laurie Frink and Tom Smith and brings the teachings and influence of each to her playing. 

Since completing her Bachelor of Music in Classical Trumpet Performance at The Manhattan School of Music in 2014, Kyla has wasted no time establishing herself as a genre bending talent on the NYC performance and recording scene.  She has shared the stage with several renowned artists including special mentor, trumpeter Jon Faddis who invited Kyla to perform with him at the 2007, 2009, and 2012 “Pops is Tops” concerts at the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens, NY as well as the 2009 “What a Wonderful World” awards performance at the Louie Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine.  An early career highlight in 2006 was an invitation by Jon Faddis to sit in with him at the Jazz Standard Club in New York City where she met the great Tony Bennett, who had some positive and inspiring things to say to her.

While studying at the Manhattan School of Music, Kyla had the opportunity to play in the Grammy award winning MSM Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra led by Bobby Sanabria. Their release “Que Viva Harlem” was featured in the latest issue of Downbeat Magazine as one of their 50 best albums of 2014.

Kyla had the opportunity to play with pop group MKTO on Good Morning America where they performed their song “Bad Girls” live. She also recently performed with the girl group Fifth Harmony on The Today Show live at Rockefeller Center as part of the Toyota Summer Concert Series.

On October 17th 2015 Kyla joined Demi Lovato and her band on Saturday Night Live where they performed both "Cool For The Summer" and "Confident". 

Some other artists that Kyla has had the opportunity to share the stage with include Bilal, Cory Henry, Antonio Hart, Todd Coolman, Russell Malone, Jimmy Heath, Maria Schneider, Terell Stafford, Jeremy Pelt, Scott Wendholt, Frank Wess, Steve Turre, Slide Hampton, Bobby Shew, Roy Hanes, MKTO, Fifth Harmony, Demi Lovato, and many more.

MEDIA