Board Spotlight: Kenna Payne

A Lifelong Commitment to Richmond's Live Music and Community

Meet Kenna Payne, a versatile organist, insightful mentor, retired CFO, and true staple of the Richmond, VA arts community. Raised on a dairy farm in upstate New York, Kenna’s musical childhood set the stage for her years of dedication to the arts.

by Sara Laws

In our May 2024 conversation, Kenna wowed me with her love for the “king of instruments”--the pipe organ. Richmond, VA has deep respect for organ music and organists, boasting an impressive number of these instruments in its sacred spaces. As a former substitute organist with a large repertoire, Kenna has played in many churches in town. 

Read on for more about Richmond’s musical community and Kenna’s commitment to service in the arts, including her service to The Belvedere Series, which came onto the Richmond live music scene in 2022.

More than a hobby: Music as an integral part of community life

Kenna's childhood was filled with piano lessons, choir practices, and band rehearsals. “My father always told me that his favorite singer was Barbra Streisand because you could understand every word she said,” she remembers. “My mom tended to be the musical one in the family, but we all inherited it from somebody.”

At her family’s dairy farm in upstate New York, "music was everywhere," she recalls. “If we weren't singing ourselves, we were participating in a musical group or community of some kind.”

Music was more than a hobby for this family. There was a sense of duty and community involvement in the ways they engaged with music. “My parents just expected that we would do things like that—whether it was church or school,” she explains.

In their home, LPs of big Broadway shows played in the background and all six children participated in various musical activities: “three of us took piano; all of us were in band. The four girls were in our school’s chorus and in church choir.”

Kenna started organ lessons as a sophomore in high school. A self-taught organist was Kenna's first teacher, and the lessons were unconventional but deeply formative. “She needed to step away from the bench, so I stepped in.” 

Kenna plays the organ console in summer 2023 at The Chapel of St John's College at the University of Cambridge, UK.

A sought-after substitute organist

During her undergraduate years, Kenna regularly drove back to her hometown to play the organ on Sunday mornings. After moving to Richmond for her career, Kenna joined the church choir at Westminster Presbyterian Church and eventually became an in-demand substitute organist. She has been the organist and choir director there since 2011.

“When people find out you’re a church organist, they just keep your name on file,” she says with a chuckle. Though she started at Westminster, she soon found herself receiving calls from ministers all over the area. “I said, ‘If you ever need an organist…’ and the phone started ringing.”

Kenna’s versatility and readiness made her indispensable. “I could probably have subbed every Sunday of the year if I wanted to; churches are in desperate need, and even more so now, for substitute organists.”

“It never scared me to sit at an organ I’d never played. If I had an hour to see the stops and figure out what I wanted to play, I could do it.”

Kenna’s role often requires her to be ready with a variety of pieces. “I had to have about 40 pieces of music—quiet pieces, loud pieces, prelude pieces—ready to go like a doctor’s bag,” she explains. “A lot of organists don’t have that boldness. If they don’t have a week to practice, they wouldn’t do it. Not me,” Kenna says, adding: “It never scared me to sit at an organ I’d never played. If I had an hour to see the stops and figure out what I wanted to play, I could do it.”

Because of her role as substitute organist all over town, Kenna has a deep appreciation for the subtle differences in musical traditions across congregations. "I learned the nuances - when to play louder for more energetic singing, which hymns particular denominations knew well, how communion was conducted," Kenna explains. "It was fascinating to witness such varied worship styles and music choices honoring the same God."

Richmond’s pipe organs

Richmond’s churches “have a tremendous density of high-quality organs,” Kenna says. “For years, the city has loved pipe organ music.” From the new installation of an expensive organ at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart to the stately pipes of historic sanctuaries, the region's churches have cultivated a true celebration of the "king of instruments."

There is also a community surrounding these amazing instruments. The Richmond chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) has presented free public recitals for over 50 years, featuring some of the world's most acclaimed organists.

With her extensive history as a musician in Richmond, I asked Kenna which musical events she’d recommend to us. 

“It was fascinating to witness such varied worship styles and music choices honoring the same God.”

The AGO holds three recitals every year, and these are national and international organists, “the cream of the crop,” says Kenna.

These organists play at “all of the big churches with big organ installations: River Road Baptist Church, St. Stephen’s, St. Bridget’s, First Presbyterian, St. Mary’s in Goochland, etc. And so you get to hear a top-notch musician playing in a top-notch organ in a top location, where the organ suits the room.”

This year the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is sponsoring a dedication recital in October for their new organ. “Check this out,” Kenna recommends, since “the titular organist (main organist) of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris will play at this dedication.”

In March, the AGO will also host the titular organist of the Royal Chapel of the Palace of Versailles. “These are professionals who will arrive in town, practice for eight hours or so, and that’s all they’ll need. They’re that good. It’s amazing,” Kenna says, adding that these concerts are for everyone: “my husband, who is not an organist, not a musician at all–he loves to go to these concerts because he loves to watch their hands and their feet. We try to always project these details onto a large screen so that everyone can see the remarkable talent, not just hear it.”

The Belvedere Series: “Worth fitting into your schedule”

With such a busy musical and social calendar, I wondered how Kenna was able to help out in her role as Secretary Treasurer of The Belvedere Series. "Some things are worth fitting into your schedule," Kenna remarks. 

For Kenna, who has watched the Richmond music scene grow since the 1970s, “there is no equivalent to Belvedere.” 

Kenna’s first encounter with Ingrid Keller, Founder and Artistic Director of The Belvedere Series, was through the Richmond Symphony Chorus, where Ingrid’s talent as a pianist left a lasting impression. "She has the most fluid hands I think I've ever seen. There’s no tension; her hands just float over the keyboard," Kenna recalls. 

This admiration led to a deeper connection when Ingrid approached Kenna with a special project for expanding the range of classical music events on offer in Richmond.

"She wanted to bring chamber music back to the salon," Kenna explains. “In the old days when you did it in the ballroom of the big houses, or in the salons of the smaller houses, you had to have a small orchestra–maybe eight people. And guests would come, have some food, and sit and listen." 

“There is no equivalent to Belvedere in Richmond.”

Kenna vividly remembers the moment she was sold on the idea. "One coffee, and she sold me on this," she says, noting that the house that Ingrid and her husband found for hosting these chamber events was ideal. “There is not a more perfect house for these events. With those 12-foot ceilings and two adjoining rooms, it's just perfection. That is where chamber music was supposed to be played,” she says.

Kenna acknowledges the challenges of hosting events in such intimate settings, with limited capacity, but sees it as part of what makes the Series special. The Belvedere Series will also host three larger concert hall events in the 2024-2025 season, opening up the salon setting so that more Richmonders can experience these unique live music concerts. These are “in a different venue, but it’s still chamber music," Kenna explains.

Kenna’s background as the CFO for the American Institute of Architects in Virginia and her extensive experience in accounting and personnel management have made her an invaluable member of the board of The Belvedere Series. 

Beyond keeping the books and providing insights to the board, Kenna often ensures guests feel welcome and the event is seamless. “I help with anything Ingrid needs; it’s greeting people, checking them off on the ticket list and just saying, ‘we're so glad you came and please come again.’ And here's where the wine is–the wine is important,” she laughs.

“If you sign up, show up”: Kenna’s advice for arts volunteers and aspiring board members

For Kenna, the arts are more than a passion - they're an ethos of engaged citizenship. "If you sign up for something, you show up," she states matter-of-factly. This principle was passed down from her parents.

"The biggest thing is don't say yes, unless you really know what you're getting into and are passionate about it or can develop a passion for it," Kenna advises. Too often she's seen roles go unfilled because "somebody said they would do promotions, but they haven't been to a meeting yet."

For artists accustomed to being the featured talents, Kenna stresses the need for humility when joining boards and committees. "I would say people in the arts don't always develop those other skills. They're sometimes just not as well-rounded to serve on a board yet." The solution? "Be willing to learn," Kenna recommends.

For anyone interested in becoming board members, she says, “recognize that you don’t know it all. You will be expected to vote on topics that you may have never had experience with before, but you've got to come along as quickly as you can.” 

She's ready to mentor those open to self-improvement. “When I prepare financial statements, if you don't know what you're looking at, call me after the meeting and say, 'Can you spend an hour with me going over these?'" Kenna offers. "I would be delighted to spend time with somebody trying to learn." 

What Kenna is listening to

When running errands, Kenna listens to the classical music channel and Yacht Radio, which plays music from the 70s to the 90s. “Occasionally, I switch to the Beatles channel or Billy Joel,” she adds. 

But, harkening back to early days on her family’s farm, she really loves to belt songs from the musical theater repertoire. "My parents had LPs of the big Broadway shows, and we all learned the words to 'The Music Man' and 'The Pajama Game," she recalls. 

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