Friday, May 4, 2018 — 5:30pm
Music of Kallman, Veba, Carey, Fauré, Marvin, McDowall, Mendelssohn, Connolly, and Hatfield
Las Cantantes (The University of New Mexico’s Women’s Ensemble, founded in 1994) is a highly select group of 19 women who come from all areas of the Albuquerque campus. They perform the masterpieces of the treble voice repertoire exploring both unaccompanied and accompanied repertoire with harp, organ, percussion, piano, brass and at times with wind instruments. Highlights include touring in 2009, 2012, 2014 to NYC; working with music legends like Dave Brubeck, Alice Parker, Morten Lauridsen, and Andrew Carter; in recent years making 3 recordings with the Raven CD label which have all received favorable reviews in The American Organist, The Diapason, and The American Record Guide; broadcast on National Public Radio (NPR) stations across the country. The ensemble has performed in many beautiful spaces such as the Loretto Chapel (Santa Fe), the UNM Alumni Chapel (ABQ), The Cathedral of St. John (ABQ), St Ignatius Loyola (NYC), The Cathedral of the Incarnation (NYC), Trinity Wall Street (NYC), and Church of the Heavenly Rest (NYC). Dr. Maxine Thévenot has been the director of this ensemble since 2007, making 2017 her 10th anniversary as director.
An accomplished, respected, and dynamic choral conductor much in demand, Maxine Thévenot has directed ensembles across North America. She also maintains an active career as an international organist, a visiting lecturer at universities, a recording artist, and is a published writer and photographer. Dr. Thévenot serves as the Artistic & 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, since 2007; and as the Director of Cathedral Music & Organist at the Cathedral of St. John, Albuquerque, NM.
Dr. 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. www.maxinethevenot.com