Crystal Payne has been the director of Campo Verde High School Orchestras since Fall 2016. Prior to joining the CVHS Orchestras, Mrs. Payne taught orchestra, guitar and piano at Queen Creek High School and Newell Barney Junior High School. Under her direction, the junior high orchestra program grew from 14 members to 90 members. As an educator, she has been invited as a guest clinician for honor festivals throughout Arizona and previously served as the chairman for the AMEA All-State Junior High Festival, and currently serves as the chairman for the ABODA Fall Orchestra Festival. In 2022, Mrs. Payne was awarded the Arizona Music Educators Association O.M. Hartsell Excellence in Music Teaching Award. Mrs. Payne’s students and ensembles have consistently received ratings of Excellent, Superior, and Superior with Distinction in various festivals throughout Arizona. In 2018, the CVHS Symphony was invited to perform at the World Strides Festival held at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Most recently, the Campo Verde Orchestra program was recognized by the Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Association as a 2021-2022 Program of Distinction within Arizona.

As a violinist, Mrs. Payne studied with Dr. Jonathan Swartz at Arizona State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Music Education. While attending ASU, Mrs. Payne was a member and played both violin and viola in the ASU Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and Chamber Quartet Program. While she played in the ASU Symphony, she accompanied such artists as Regina Carter, Daniel Bernard Romain and Phillip Glass. While participating in the the ASU Chamber Quartet program, she had the opportunity to work with members from the Juilliard String Quartet and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. Mrs. Payne also holds a Masters Degree in Music Teaching and Learning from ASU. Go Devils!

When she is not playing an instrument or teaching, Mrs. Payne loves spending time with her husband Craig, her three children, and her 2 dogs. She loves everything outdoors, like hiking and camping. She also loves to cook, read, and of course, she’s always game for learning a new song or musical instrument! Mrs. Payne loves teaching at CVHS and truly believes that she teaches some of the best students around town!