Twenty-eight-year-old Indy native Kim Kenny has had her hands in the music industry since she was a child. Growing up to become a vocalist and pianist, Kenny has traveled the nation showcasing her musical talents. One of her most memorable moments was when she performed at the World Famous Showtime at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. In addition, Kenny has several vocal competition wins under her belt.
To wrap up Black Music Month, the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper sat down with Kenny to learn more about her career as a vocal coach and music teacher.
Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper: You have a natural gift for music in several areas, but how did you begin singing?
Kenny: My father was a pastor, so I started singing in the church, and from there I knew I had a gift. I went to college at Marian University, and I have a degree in music performance. I got my first job as a piano accompanist for a choir teacher. I never planned on going into teaching, because I looked at myself as a musician, but the teacher retired, and the kids and administration suggested I take over the choir. I accepted, and from there I grew very passionate about teaching.
What would you say is your favorite genre of music?
I really don’t have one, because I’m super eclectic. Obviously gospel and soul music are very dear to my heart, like Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke and Al Green, but I grew up on that music. That’s what I lean toward, but I listen to everything — classical, rock, jazz, pop, a little of everything.
We hear you worked with Asante Children’s Theatre recently for their current production.
Yes, Asante Children’s Theatre just released a musical called “Genius to the Beat of Soul” at the Indiana Repertory Theatre, and I was brought in as a contracted vocal coach for the show that was at first supposed to be based off of Stevie Wonder. At first I was hired to just teach the music and cultivate the voices so they can lead, but mid-process the production switched over to being a musical with all original music. They came to me and said, “We want to write a musical from scratch, and we heard you are a lyricist and you can do vocal range, so we need you to vocal coach and arrange.” For this specific project, I wrote the lyrics for the musical and edited them. Ms. Asante wrote the script, and Jeffery Page, who is an award-winning choreographer from New York, spearheaded a lot of the creativity.
What does it take to teach music? I’m sure it requires a lot of patience.
It certainly does! The biggest thing I learned is that people come in at different levels. Some come in from birth ready to sing. Then you have those who like to sing and have a gift and may be a little shy, then the others who have never done anything like this before, so there’s usually a large ensemble of people to work with. It also takes an open mind in how you’re dealing with and teaching people.
How did you get involved with the students at Tindley?
I started out teaching music in IPS, but while I was on maternity leave after I had my daughter, I had some other job offers, and I wanted to try something different. I heard about the amazing things they were doing at Tindley, and my first job was at the elementary level teaching music and art at Tindley Summit. This year, I transitioned to the high school, Tindley Accelerated, and I also taught at Tindley Collegiate. When I got there, the kids, as it pertained to music, were not energized and were bored. We’re an accelerated school, and we push them in academics, but there wasn’t a push as it pertained to the performing arts.
When I got there I realized there weren’t any all-Black show choirs in Indiana, as I’ve never seen one. So I said, “Guess what we are about to be… an all-Black show choir.” People laughed at the idea, and now every concert we’ve had has been packed with people, and our calendar of events next year is already filling up. I am doing an all-Black show choir full of scholars who are singing and dancing in costumes, with sets. I can’t wait until next year. I want them to participate in competitions, but I know it’s going be hard, because there is no one that looks like us.
