About Kyla Zhao
It all begins with an idea.
Piano, Music Theory, Music Production, Composition
Languages: English, Mandarin
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Composition and Music Production,
Shenyang Conservatory of Music
Master of Arts in Recording Arts,
Shanghai Conservatory of Music
Master’s Degree in Music Technology,
University of Toronto Faculty of Music
Experience
2014 - 2015
Music Director,
Chinese music TV show “Sing My Song” Season 1, Season 2 - Shanghai, China
2015 - 2016
Recording Engineer,
Shanghai Concert Hall - Shanghai, China
2021
Music Production Mentor,
Covenant House Toronto - Toronto, Ontario
2022
Music Production Mentor,
Covenant House Toronto - Toronto, Ontario
Judge of “Jack Richardson Producer of the Year”,
JUNO Awards 2022 - Toronto, Ontario
Music Production Mentor of “Equity x Production Mentorship Program”,
SOCAN - Toronto, Ontario
Song Writer & Music Producer of “Toon Bops” - Disney Channel/ Treehouse TV,
Nelvana/Corus Entertainment Inc. - Toronto, Ontario
2023 - NOW
Music Production Mentor,
Covenant House Toronto - Toronto, Ontario
Music Production Mentor of “Equity x Production Mentorship Program”,
SOCAN - Toronto, Ontario
Biography
Kyla Zhao is a multi-talented musician with professional training in many aspects of music. She started learning piano when she was 4 years old. At the age of 13, she achieved CMA (Chinese Musicians Association) Level 10 piano certificate with distinction - a RCM (The Royal Conservatory of Music) Level 10 equivalent. She is a highly experienced teacher who has been teaching piano and music production for over 10 years.
Through composing, music producing, recording, mixing, audio engineering and directing, the hands-on industry experience she’s had reflects her enthusiasm for piano in all its modern day applications. Raised as a classical pianist, Kyla developed a passion for the creative aspects of music early on. The fusion of music and technology was an interest that led her towards contemporary styles, both in piano performance and music production. She took the next step to polish her skills further with a BA in Composition and Music Production from Shenyang Conservatory of Music.
This opened the door to work on one of China’s most popular music talent shows ‘Sing My Song’, where she participated in music scoring, final judging, interviewing, qualifying of potential contestants, and creating arrangements for the contestants’ chosen songs, including adding her own vocals to harmonize. Shortly afterwards, Kyla was inspired to pursue further study at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, achieving an MA in the Recording Arts. An exciting opportunity followed suit; coordinating events and live recording at the Shanghai Concert Hall. The world-class performances Kyla witnessed at this time instilled an even deeper appreciation within her for music and the arts.
In 2016, Kyla moved to Toronto to complete her second Masters in Music Technology at the University of Toronto. Meanwhile, she founded her own music production and mixing studio in Toronto. She collaborates with both local R&B artists and Chinese pop artists virtually, while also dedicating herself to music education. Kyla specializes in guiding students through the complexities of music production, helping them build impressive portfolios for university applications. Her students have successfully gained admission to top institutions such as Berklee College of Music and the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music.
Kyla’s passion for nurturing young talent led her to become a music production mentor at Covenant House Toronto in 2021, where she supports youth dealing with mental health challenges through the healing power of music. Her creative contributions extend to writing and producing for Treehouse TV, a popular Canadian children's channel, and she has expanded her studio to include music education for young children.
In 2022, Kyla was honored to serve as a judge for the Jack Richardson Producer of the Year category at the JUNO Awards. That same year, she joined the Equity x Production mentorship program offered by the SOCAN Foundation as a mentor, a role she continues to fulfill with dedication.
Kyla enjoys sharing her love of music with her students. She believes that in music, one can find meaning and identity- and that with gentle encouragement and support, music can bring lifelong joy and self-expression. Because of the freedom she was given to explore the art form, Kyla doesn’t believe in pushing or pressuring her students. She believes that by going our own way in music, the way it touches our life can be as unique as we are.