About Kayla

A considerate nurturer of storytelling, mezzo-soprano Kayla Sconiers is devoted to creating dynamic characters with a touch of individuality, broadening her performance across opera, art song, and musical theater.

In the summer of 2026, she made her company debut at Opera Saratoga, where she performed the role of Mother in the workshop of Drift by Alyssa Weinberg and covered Mrs. Eynsford-Hill in My Fair Lady. Additionally, Kayla covered the role of Zipporah in the world premiere of Lalovavi by Kevin Day at Cincinnati Opera. Kayla performed as Fairy Two in Felix Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the New York City Ballet.

In the 2025-26 season, Kayla performed the role of Dorothée in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music's opera production of Cendrillon by Jules Massenet. She won the Kentucky District in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, then advanced to the Midwest Regional, where she received an Encouragement award. During the 2024-25 season, she performed as Hermia in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at CCM. In summer 2024, she was a studio artist at the Music Academy of the West. As a two-time recipient of Eastman School of Music’s William Warfield Scholarship, Kayla played Anne in Eastman Opera Theatre’s production of To Hell and Back by Jake Heggie. She has also portrayed Oberto in Handel’s Alcina and covered Paula in Florencia en el Amazonas by Daniel Catán. In 2023, she won the Mary E. Singletary Vocal Arts Competition.

In addition to her musical pursuits, Kayla works as an arts administrator and advocate. She is actively involved in organizations supporting musicians of African descent, such as the Gateways Music Festival and Sphinx. She served as the social media manager for Black Collegiate Musicians, an organization with a mission to provide black collegiate musicians access to financial, professional, and mental health resources. They strive to uplift these students by creating a supportive community as they navigate their journeys through higher education. She was the Marketing Intern and Artist for Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 season.

Originally from Lakeland, Florida, Kayla is based in New York, New York. She received her master’s degree at CCM and studied under Dr. Gwendolyn Coleman. She earned her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the Eastman School of Music, where she also received a Catherine Filene Arts Leadership Certificate of Achievement.

In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry, attending orchestra concerts, needlepointing, boxing, biking, hot mat pilates, and reading classic literature.