KaylaLiechty is Vocal Coach and Collaborative Pianist at Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU), where she coaches voice students, teaches music courses and collaborates in recital with student, faculty, and guest artist recitals. Prior to coming to ENMU, she was a full-time pianist and coach at the University of Oklahoma (2002-2005) and Director of Collaborative Piano at Stetson University (1992-2002).

Kayla Liechty received a Bachelor of Music Education degree in piano from Stetson University and a Master of Music degree in Collaborative Piano and Piano Pedagogy and a Master of Music Education from The Florida State University. Piano teachers who have made a difference in her life are Sharon Walker, Mary Lou Krosnick, Eugene Hudson, Michael Rickman, Karyl Louwenaar and Carolyn Bridger.

Widely experienced in both vocal and instrumental repertoire, Ms. Liechty has collaborated with many of the finest musicians of our time. Her work with operatic singers and stage directors includes master classes with Marilyn Horne, Sherrill Milnes, Tito Capobianco, Fabrizio Melano, Jennifer Larmore, Martina Arroyo, Marquita Lister, Leona Mitchell and Maria Spacagna. Of the numerous instrumentalists she has collaborated with in recital, most notable are cellist Christopher Adkins, oboist Wayne Rapier, tubist John Griffiths, pianist Charles Wadsworth and trumpeter Fred Mills.. As a choral pianist, she has collaborated with choirs in Carnegie Hall (five performances), China, Newfoundland, Norway and throughout Europe, spending two full seasons as pianist/organist for the renowned Santa Fe Desert Chorale (organist for the 2003 Journeys of the Spirit CD). Ms. Liechty spent a decade as a vocal coach and accompanist for Sherrill Milnes’ summer opera workshop, VOICExperience!, and was National and Open-Call Auditions Pianist for Walt Disney World Entertainment for many years. She will accompany the 2022 NMMEA All-State Mixed Choir for her seventeenth year.

Ms. Liechty’s scholarly and artistic endeavors include Bach to Bix, a CD collaboration with tubist Ted Cox; The French Connection, a CD collaboration with hornist Eldon Matlick; an 80-accompaniment CD companion to Roberto Mancusi’s textbook, Voice for Non-Majors; and ENMU Choirs’ Fall 2016 CD release, What Sweeter Music. Academic presentations she has made include Professional Music Teachers of New Mexico Annual Conference (2011), Rocky Mountain CMS Conference (2012), National NAfME Conference (2014), SWACDA Conference (2015) and National ACDA (2016). Her research in collaborative piano has been published in the professional journals of the Music Teachers National Association, National Association for Music Education and American Choral Directors Association. Ms. Liechty co-authored a chapter in the book, “The Nurturing of Talent, Skills and Abilities (Nova Science).” The publication which holds the most significance for her is the January 2004 Neurocase article, “Musical Skill in Dementia: A Violinist Presumed to Have Alzheimer’s Disease Learns to Play a New Song.”