In memoriam Emily Anne Payne

Emily Anne Payne ’99MM died peacefully on August 22, 2022, in Los Angeles, CA. Daughter of Serena and Robert Blocker and an alumna of the Yale School of Music, Emily’s talent and intellect were extraordinary, and she nurtured them with care and curiosity.

Born in Atlanta, GA, Emily earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA in 1997 and her Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music in cello performance in 1999. She also earned the California Professional Multiple Subject Credential, K-12 and the California Certification for Gifted and Talented.

At Yale, she performed, recorded, and toured with the Yale Cellos and sang with the Yale Camerata. Emily spent summers at Banff studying with her beloved cello professor, Aldo Parisot. A consummate artist, Emily’s passion for making music as a cellist and singer was admired and respected by peers and faculty alike.

A dedicated teacher, Emily possessed the exceptional ability to inspire a class while offering additional guidance to students who needed it most, and she was a trusted advocate for children and parents whose voices are marginalized.

Peter E. Derheimer ’88MM

Rosamond Hamlin

Neil K. Keen ’80MM

Michaela M. Paetsch ’84

Emily A. Payne ’99MM

Kenneth N. Price ’90MM

Gerard Rosa ’60BM ’62MM

M.L. Spratlan, Jr. ’62BA ’65MM

John D. Weinland ’65BA ’69MM

Emily’s lifelong commitment to service is reflected in her selection as the national 2017 recipient of Kappa Delta sorority’s Order of the Pearl. She was a member of the YSM alumniVentures committee and a member of the School’s Student Advisory Council. Emily served her community in Los Angeles through engagement with the UCLA Medical Center Neuroscience Unit, the Children’s Community School, and by singing in the All Saints Episcopal Church Beverly Hills Choir for more than 20 years.

Emily’s life was celebrated in services at All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills and the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta.