Canadian-American musician Maxine Thévenot is known for her skillful, musical playing, inventive concert programming, and passionate, informed conducting. She combines a profound commitment to her liturgical work as a cathedral musician with guest conducting, solo and collaborative organ recitals, and thrives on co-creating community experiences.
Canon Maxine Thévenot is director of cathedral music & organist and artistic director of the Friends of Cathedral Music series at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Under her leadership, the cathedral choir and choristers sing services and concerts, have made numerous commercial recordings with RavenCD, and fulfill part of their community outreach mission by undertaking national and international tours. Earlier this month, the cathedral choirs completed a 5-day tour to British Columbia, Canada, singing services, and a concert at Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria.
Dr. Thevenot is currently the organ instructor at the University of New Mexico. Previously, she taught music appreciation and music theory and directed the university’s women’s choir, Las Cantantes, for over 15 years. She is the founding & artistic director of Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico, the state’s first resident professional vocal ensemble.
In demand as a guest conductor and clinician, on June 21, 2026, Maxine will make her Carnegie Hall début conducting a 150-voice chorus and the New England Symphonic Ensemble in the full orchestral version of Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem, Opus 9. In 2024, she was the first woman in its 26-year history to lead the Indianapolis Three Choirs Festival. She recently served as music director for the 2024 RCSM West course and as conductor/co-liturgy planner for the opening service of the 58th annual Association of Anglican Musicians 2024 conference in Minneapolis. In July 2022, Maxine was a co-liturgy planner and was the conductor of the 45-voice choral ensemble, the brass quintet, percussionists, and two guest organists for the National Convention of the AGO in Seattle.
As an organ recitalist, she has performed in concert halls and churches across the USA, Canada, the UK, and Europe. In July 2024, she made her Icelandic début. Her choral and organ recordings appear on the RavenCD label. She is a published composer with Paraclete Press.
A native of Saskatchewan, Canada, Maxine Thévenot received her bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Saskatchewan (with Distinction) and her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the Manhattan School of Music. She was twice awarded the Bronson Ragan Award at the Manhattan School of Music for ‘outstanding ability in organ performance.’ Maxine is an Associate of the Royal Canadian College of Organists and the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, and was made an Honorary Fellow of the National College of Music, London, UK in 2006 for her services to music.
