Rene has been Interim Music Director at Faith des Peres since the beginning of this year, after having previously serving as substitute organist during the summer of 2018. Rene is both humbled and excited to be welcomed by our community of faith, and looks forward to cultivating our music ministry, both with our choir and congregation. Rene began piano studies at the age of five, and continued on the pipe organ at the age of twelve. This began a decades long service of being involved in the music ministry of churches, beginning in Toronto (Canada) on the organ, in Chicago with a new focus on singing with choirs, and bringing together all of these experiences in Saint Louis. His overall experience involves working amongst very small congregations, and very large spaces such as the Cathedral Basilica here in Saint Louis, and Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. This includes exposure to many different kinds of musical instruments,
multiple languages, and varying types of liturgical worship. His education includes a B.A. degree in economics from the University of Toronto, and an M.A. degree (economics) from the University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada). Rene is also a consultant in the area of communication strategies to a number of regional musical organizations, a teacher of elementary school music, and a private music teacher. He is a member of the American Guild of Organists, the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, and the Professional Photographers of America.
