Kayla Smith
About Me
Kayla Smith is a Midwestern bassoonist who is just as likely to be found performing Mozart concerti and the Nielsen quintet as she is baking pies at Wichita’s Old Cowtown Museum.
Kayla enjoys performing solo works ranging from Telemann to Jenni Brandon for Sigma Alpha Iota chapter meetings, retirement homes, and other community events in Kansas and Oklahoma.
As part of her undergraduate experience, Kayla was a member of the Sooner Bassooners ensemble where she played both tenor bassoon and contrabassoon. She has competed at the Oklahoma Music Educators Association Chamber Competition and was a member of the Helianthus quartet at Wichita State University. During her time at Wichita State, Kayla had the opportunity to perform several premieres with the Wind Ensemble and the Symphony Orchestra on bassoon and contrabassoon. She is currently serves as the principal bassoonist of the Bethany College Orchestra, second bassoonist of the Salina Symphony, second bassoonist of the Hutchinson Symphony, and freelances in the southern central Kansas area.
Kayla’s musical journey inspired her to share her passion for music and the bassoon by teaching private lessons. She currently serves as the adjunct professor of bassoon at Bethany College in Lindsborg, KS, and teaches privately in the Wichita area. Kayla also serves as an elementary vocal music teacher in Wichita Public Schools (USD 259).
Besides performing and teaching, Kayla enjoys spending time outdoors going on walks, going out on the boat, and doing yard work in the backyard. Kayla has also developed a passion for gardening and baking various goods from scratch.
Kayla holds a master’s degree in instrumental music education at Wichita State University where she studied with Zachary Hague. She completed her bachelor of musical arts degree at the University of Oklahoma. Her former teachers include Rodney Ackmann and Steven Houser.