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An accomplished, respected, and dynamic choral conductor much in demand, Maxine Thévenot has directed ensembles across North America. Presently, Dr. Thévenot serves as the Founding Director of the professional vocal ensemble, POLYPHONY: Voices of New Mexico; as the Director of the University of New Mexico women’s vocal ensemble, Las Cantantes; and as the Associate Organist-Choir Director at the Cathedral Church of St. John. POLYPHONY: Voices of New Mexico is comprised of young experienced professional singers who reside in New Mexico and who have been educated across North America. The ensemble has a flexible roster, which enables all genres and voicing of repertoire to be performed. The repertoire includes mostly a cappella music ranging from that of Hildegard von Bingen to modern day compositions. Their 2008 season is very busy with appearances on the Friends of Cathedral Music Series at the Cathedral Church of St. John in June and December, the Music in Corrales Series in December, and concerts at Santa Fe's historic Loretto Chapel. Please visit our website at www.polyphonynm.com for more information. Las Cantantes is comprised of 21 auditioned singers. The ensemble studies, rehearses and performs the finest literature for treble voices. The group has collaborated with such important figures as Libby Larsen, Dave Brubeck, Alice Parker and Moses Hogan. Under their Founding Director, Bradley Ellingboe, they have recorded two compact discs, and their holiday special, Enchantment at Chimayo (made in conjunction with the UNM Chamber Orchestra) has been heard on NPR stations across the country. Since taking the group's direction in the Fall 2007 Dr. Thevenot, has directed Las Cantantes in over 14 concerts, and has recorded their first commercially released CD – My Dancing Day – on the RavenCD label. This disc features several premiere recordings of works for the Christmas season by New Mexico composers, Bradley Ellingboe and Frederick Frahm, in addition to the major work for choir and harp by John Rutter – Dancing Day Carols. In May 2009, she will lead the ensemble on a 6-day tour to New York City where they will sing concerts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Grace Church and Church of the Heavenly Rest in Manhattan, and the historic Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, Long Island. In addition to her work with the UNM Choral department she lectures in Music Appreciation and Music Theory and serves as Chapel Organist at the UNM Alumni Chapel. Since taking the group's direction in the Fall 2007, Dr. Thevenot has directed Las Cantantes in over 14 concerts, and has recorded their first commercially released CD – My Dancing Day – on the RavenCD label. This disc features several premiere recordings of works for the Christmas season by New Mexico composers, Bradley Ellingboe and Frederick Frahm, in addition to the major work for choir and harp by John Rutter – Dancing Day Carols. In May 2009, she will lead the ensemble on a 6-day tour to New York City where they will sing concerts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Grace Church and Church of the Heavenly Rest in Manhattan, and the historic Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, Long Island. In addition to her work with the UNM Choral department she lectures in Music Appreciation and Music Theory and serves as Chapel Organist at the UNM Alumni Chapel. At the Cathedral Church of St. John, Dr. Thévenot works with the Cathedral Choir, the Cathedral Chamber Choir, and the Cathedral Choristers. These ensembles sing at weekly services at the Cathedral, monthly Evensong services, perform newly commissioned works, perform annual concerts with organ, and concerts with members of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. She has directed the Cathedral Choirs and members of the NMSO in performances of works ranging from J.S. Bach to modern day composers such as David Arcus, Judith Bingham, Tarik O’Regan, and Joby Talbot. Maxine Thévenot was the Founding Director of the women’s ensemble, Concentus while serving on the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City in 2005. (Concentus [latin] “the sounding together of several parts”) Concentus is an auditioned 30-voice ensemble, comprised of freshman and sophomore composition, guitar, piano and vocal students. They perform three times a year and feature repertoire written primarily for women’s voices. In the past, they have collaborated with their male counterpart, Camerata in the presentation of large-scale choir and orchestra works. They have also commissioned works including the 2005 world premiere of Sicut Rosa by American composer, Hayes Biggs. This piece was dedicated to Maxine Thévenot and Concentus. Dr. Thévenot also served as the Associate Conductor for the Manhattan School of Music Chorus comprised of 120 freshmen and sophomore students from 2002-2004. From 2003-2005, Ms. Thévenot served as the Associate Choirmaster at The Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, New York where she was the Director of the Cathedral Girls Choir and the Schola Cantorum. The Cathedral Girls Choir sings for weekly services at the Cathedral in addition to representing the Cathedral at National RSCM summer courses and choral festivals. In July 2004, members of the Cathedral Girls Choir and the Schola Cantorum sang daily services with members of the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys in Cathedrals in Scotland and England. The Cathedral Girls Choir is comprised of 24 girls aged 8-17, many of whom go on to pursue music as a major in college. The choir receives 3-6 hours of musical training each week in addition to which eighty percent of the girls also pursue private study of a secondary instrument. Their musical training involves vocal training, ensemble techniques, ear training, music theory, music history and the performance of more than two hundred choral works annually. The Schola Cantorum is the women’s choir of the Cathedral, comprised of 12 singers who sing twice each month in addition to special Holy Day services, including Tenebrae and Easter Sunday. The liturgical repertoire includes music specifically written for women’s voices in multiple parts including works by Jehan Alain, Hayes Biggs, Johannes Brahms, Eleanor Daley, Kenneth Leighton and Francis Poulenc. Schola Cantorum frequently collaborates with the Cathedral Girls Choir and the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys for larger scale repertoire. The repertoire of the Cathedral Choirs spans the history of choral music from Gregorian chant to contemporary works. Past choral experiences have included working as Senior Accompanist (Brava and Ragazze ensembles) and Assistant Conductor, Calgary Girls Choir, Elaine Quilichini, Artistic Director and Founder; Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, rehearsal pianist and Assistant Conductor; Founder, Parkdale United Church Children’s Choir, Calgary, AB; Assistant Conductor, Cathedral Church of the Redeemer Cathedral Choir, Calgary, AB; rehearsal pianist and Assistant Conductor, University of Saskatchewan, University Chorus, Saskatoon, SK. Ms. Thévenot has received the Bachelor of Music in Music Education with distinction from the University of Saskatchewan, and the degrees, Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in organ performance from the Manhattan School of Music, New York, where she was twice-awarded the Bronson Ragan Award for ‘most outstanding organist’. She also holds the Associate diplomas from the Royal Canadian College of Organists and the Royal Conservatory of Music. In December 2006, Dr. Thévenot was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the National College of Music, London, UK for her services to music. Ms. Thévenot is a frequent clinician and adjudicator for collegiate level choirs and church choirs of all abilities. Please visit her website for contact information.
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