She began at 7, now she plays with symphony orchestras, musicals, ballets, operas and rock bands.
Kyla Davidson is a member of the Boise Philharmonic. She studied with Keiko Ying of the Eastman School of Music, Samuel Smith at the College of Idaho, and Matthew Haimovitz and Elizabeth Dolin at McGill University. Kyla has both national and international performance experience as a soloist, chamber musician, and with symphony orchestras.
Kyla maintains a private studio and has mentored young musicians at the Sun Valley Music Festival, the Tahoe Music Institute and the College of Idaho Cello Festival. She also works as a cello specialist with the St. Thomas secondary school in Pointe-Claire, QC and École Polyjeunesse in Laval, QC. Kyla has also enjoyed working with El Sistema Montreal's summer education programs.
Kyla plays a Jack Koncel cello and a Thomas Dignan bow.
Montreal
Local time
Kyla studied cello performance at McGill's Schulich School of Music and gave her master's recital at Redpath Hall in May 2023.
The city is home to her chamber music, with her teacher Elizabeth Dolin and pianist Wei-Tang Huang.
Boise
Local time
Kyla plays in the Boise Philharmonic and teaches a private studio. She returned to the College of Idaho as adjunct cello faculty for the 2020-2021 term.
She founded the Pitches String Trio and regularly collaborates with the Boise Cello Collective and prog-rock band, Wend, here.
Path
Starts the cello
Bachelor's in cello performance
Completes her degree at the College of Idaho.
Juilliard String Quartet Seminar
Represents the College of Idaho at the seminar in both years.
Plays a 1723 Tecchler cello
On loan from Mrs. Esther Simplot.
On tour with Disturbed and Josh Groban
Performs with both acts on their 2019 tours.
College of Idaho faculty
Adjunct cello faculty at her alma mater.
Master's in orchestral performance
Completes the degree at McGill University's Schulich School of Music.
Recital in Ketchum, Idaho
A free concert with pianist Joel Bejot at St. Thomas Episcopal Church: Morawetz, Memorial to Martin Luther King; Silvestrov, Postludium; and excerpts from Rachmaninoff's Sonata for Cello and Piano.
Master's recital at McGill
Redpath Hall, Montreal, with Wei-Tang Huang, piano, and Ben Diamond, guitar: Caroline Shaw, in manus tuas; Shostakovich, Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 40; Falla, Suite populaire espagnole; and excerpts from Stephen Goss, The Raw and The Cooked.
Ben Diamond's master's recital
At McGill University.
Classical Queens production of Our Time
At the Morrison Center, Boise.
On tour with My Fair Lady
Performs with the Lincoln Center production of My Fair Lady through Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Duo Viatores with Ben Diamond
Performs at the Connecticut Guitar Guild, followed by a recital in Montreal in April.
Lecture recital at McGill
Manuel Lopez's DMus lecture recital, with Crystal Kim, at McGill University.
Pendulum Early Music Historical Performance Institute
In Boise, Idaho.
Cello lessons
Private lessons with Kyla are available in-person in Montreal, QC or Boise, ID. They are also available virtually over FaceTime, Marco Polo, or Google Meet for beginner, intermediate and advanced players, with a session length to match each level, for students anywhere. She maintains a private studio and has mentored young musicians at the Sun Valley Music Festival, the Tahoe Music Institute and the College of Idaho Cello Festival. She also works as a cello specialist with the St. Thomas secondary school in Pointe-Claire, QC and École Polyjeunesse in Laval, QC.
Send a request with the form below and Kyla will be in touch to arrange a time.
- Beginner, 30 minutes$35
- Intermediate, 45 minutes$50
- Advanced, 60 minutes$70
Prices in USD, per lesson
- One-on-one with Kyla
- In person in Montreal or Boise, or online
- Kyla replies to arrange a time
Book a lesson
To get started, please fill out the form below. Kyla will be in touch with more information.
Watch Kyla play
Videos of Kyla's playing are on her YouTube channel.
Plays with the Boise Philharmonic and subs with Sinfonia de Lanaudière, the Boise Baroque Chamber Orchestra and Opera Idaho.
Founded the Pitches String Trio and regularly collaborates with the Boise Cello Collective, the 208 Ensemble, Ballet Idaho and the Seattle Rock Orchestra, and with the bands Wend, a prog-rock group, and The Regular Sounds.
Contact Kyla
For lessons, recitals, chamber music, session work and collaborations. Schedule a video call on Google Meet, or write to Kyla by email.
Prefer email? info@kyladavidson.com
Her Boise Philharmonic profile has more background.