Behind the Musician
Mc Kayla Talasek is a Specialist in violin and viola. She teaches private violin, viola, and piano lessons to all ages and experience levels since 2011. Having taught in San Antonio, TX, then Reno, NV, now back to her home town of St. Louis, Missouri, she continues to find ways to offer lessons to students from all walks of life. Currently, she teaches at her home studio, as well as Webster University: Community Music School, Gateway Music Outreach, and Mstrong Studio. As of 2024, Mc Kayla is grateful to become the group violin teacher at Forsyth School and a member of the violin team at Kirkwood School District: Beginner Violin Class.
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Ms. Talasek received her BA in Violin Performance from University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, and an MM in Viola Performance from University of Nevada, Reno, graduating Magna Cum Laude at both universities. She has had the privilege to study with viola instructors Yizhak Schotten, Dustin Budish, and Gerald Schoelzel and with violin instructors Strphanie Sant’Ambrogio, Jenny Jones, and Richard Kilmer. ​ In masterclass settings, Mc Kayla performed with a chamber group for the Solera Quartet, Dover String Quartet, Ariana String Quartet, and Bravia Quartet. She also had opportunities to perform on solo violin and viola masterclasses for Bella Hristova, Jonathan Vinocour, Yizhak Schotten, Noah Bendix-Balgley, Cho-Liang Lin, Gilles Apap, and David Halen. Currently, she performs on a “Wojtyszyn” viola from 1978, and a “Talasek” violin from 2014.
She currently holds contracts with the Reno Philharmonic (Section Viola), Reno Chamber Orchestra (Section Viola), and Missouri Symphony Orchestra (Assistant Principal Viola), while also subbing with the Saint Louis Symphony, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and Heartland Festival Orchestra. Additional groups recently performed with are: Saint Louis Chamber Soloists, St. Louis Chamber Project, and Webster University Orchestra.
Throughout her career she's also performed on violin and viola in the Susanville Symphony, Flint Michigan Symphony Orchestra, Mid-Texas Symphony, Laredo Phil, Symphony of the Hills, Kingsville Symphony Orchestra, Corpus Christi Symphony, and the Victoria Symphony. ​
Summer Festivals attended include: Missouri Symphony Orchestra Firefly Music Festival, Bear Valley Music Festival, Montecito International Music Festival, Prague Summer Nights Music Festival, Mozart Festival, and the Fischoff Chamber Competition.
When she is not teaching, performing, or practicing, Mc Kayla loves walking her dog Hana Banana and her cat Peaches O'Malley, maintaining a consistent fitness regimen, attending concerts, and traveling to new places.
