Westminster Organ Concert Series
Westminster Presbyterian Church
190 Rugby Road
Charlottesville, Virginia

Friday, February 14, 2003 at 8:00 P.M.

Maxine Thevenot, organ

Program

Intermission

The Artist

Canadian born organist Maxine Thevenot enjoys a distinguished national and international career as organ soloist, having performed from coast to coast on this continent and abroad. She has performed at many prestigious churches, concert halls and festivals including St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, UK, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, St. Bartholomew’s Church and Avery Fischer Hall, all in New York City;  Jack Singer Concert Hall, Calgary, Alberta, St. James Cathedral, Toronto, St. George’s Cathedral, Kingston, Basilique de Notre Dame du Cap, Montreal, Quebec, and several others. She has appeared in a wide variety of Festivals in major European cities including Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Prague. Future engagements will see Miss Thevenot performing in Virginia, Philadelphia, eastern and western Canada, St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue, New York City, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, and Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D. C. In addition to Miss Thevenot’s active concert career, she is an accomplished accompanist, ensemble player and conductor of choral and orchestral ensembles. She has performed at the American Choral Directors Association National Conference (1997) in San Diego, presenting a session on Hebrew music with the Calgary Girls Choir and Cantor David Tillman. She has performed at the Royal Canadian College of Organists National Convention (1995) w,here she was the featured organist for the opening concert of the Convention, accompanying the Duruflé Requiem and Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb. Miss Thevenot has conducted performances of choral works ranging from Monteverdi to Stravinsky while studying at the Manhattan School of Music. During her time there, she also premiered several new works written for organ. Her most recent work with choral societies in New York city have been with the Central City Chorus, performing Poulenc’s Gloria and Faure’s Requiem. As accompanist, she has broadcast live for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and has recorded two commercial CDs: The Seven Joys of Christmas, with the internationally renowned Calgary Girls Choir, Elaine Quilichini, and Hearts Ascending with the CalgaryBoys Choir, Gerald Wirth, former conductor of the Vienna Choir Boys. In May, 2001 Miss Thevenot received the Bronson Ragan Award from the Manhattan School of Music for “the organist who had demonstrated outstanding ability.” She was the First Prize winner in the Canada Bach 2000 National Organ Competition held September 2000 in Edmonton, AB. In 1997, Maxine was one of six semi–finalists in the Royal Canadian College of Organists’ National Organ Playing Competition, at Ste. Catharines, Ontario. Maxine Thevenot holds a Masters Degree in Organ Performance (2001) from the Manhattan School of Music where she studied on scholarship with McNeil Robinson. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education (piano) with Distinction from the University of Saskatchewan (1991) and Associate Diplomas from the Royal Conservatory of Music (1992) and the Royal Canadian College of Organists (1995). In the fall of 2002, Maxine will commence her studies as a candidate in the Doctor of Musical Arts program at the Manhattan School of Music, where she will continue to study on scholarship with McNeil Robinson. She will also hold a fellowship award (teaching) while at studying at the MSM. Miss Thevenot has worked as a professional church musician for twenty years, serving congregations in Western Canada and in New York State. Presently, she is Director of Music at Christ Episcopal Church in Manhasset, New York, a congregation which is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year. She is also the Organist for the Rossmoor Synagogue, a reform congregation, in Rossmoor, New Jersey. Miss Thevenot maintains a private teaching studio for both adults and children. Maxine Thevenot was recently appointed to the Board of Examiners of the American Guild of Organists in New York City.