Francis Reneau
FRANCIS RENEAU!
MASS IN BLUES!
by Bilal Morris
No other Belizean in the history of Belize has accomplished and reached the level of international musical acclaim as a world class concert pianist as the Belizean musical legend Francis Reneau.
This Belizean talent was nurtured at the young age of three by his guardian, the legendary Belizean educator Sybil Reyes, and by the legendary Belizean music teacher, Floss Casasola, who discovered that the young Frankie Reneau had perfect pitch which is actually hearing sounds and then playing the exact notes on a piano.
The story is that while he was at music classes at Casasola's music school, the musical phenom would hear the sound of the neighborhood machinist sounds echoing in the air, and would identify the sound by ear. He would later play the actual note he heard on the piano.
Francis Reneau went on to study and master classical music training in London, England, winning many competitions there as a concert pianist and then later went on to pursue higher training in Russia under the tutelage of outstanding Russian musical professors and scholars.
He composed the legendary Belizean musical spiritual, Mass In Blues, at the young age of sixteen that is a classic in Belizean music up to today. He also had been commissioned by the Belizean governments both past and present to compose music that reflects the country's ethnic diversity, and has become one of Belize's most outstanding musicologist.
His latest 2017 musical explosion at the Bliss Center for Performing Arts is a musical on the African-American musical legend, Berry Gordy's, Motown musical performances. Reneau comes back to Belize yearly in September to put off grand musical performances celebrating Belize’s independence through the National Institute of Culture & History (NICH). Belizean Legend honor Belize's most celebrated musician and concert pianist of all time, Frankie Reneau.
Check out the tracks from the Mass In Blues Album with the legendary Francis Reneau:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ARdzTcQ18Y
https://youtu.be/kY6aklwnaso?si=EwOGyfZlxzQpJqW1
https://youtu.be/7iV-2Tp4IYI?si=QdJxMl7aAS8aqD7I
https://youtu.be/1Bnp626k3ek?si=TEA_dPOJL5ZmOlWS
https://youtu.be/zKrftJVKink?si=cZO_EOzgwZFEiuCJ
(Photos through the courtesy of Evondale Coburn & Francis Reneau profile) See less
Mar 1, 2009
Francis Reneau directs his composition 'Welcome To Belize' at the Bliss Theater For The Performing Arts, Belize City, Belize. Lead vocals provided by Tanya Carter. The work is part of Reneau's "We Are Belize - The Music", celebrating Belize's 25th anniversary of Independence
Sep 12, 2025
This performance is particularly a special one because it was done as a tribute to the late Jenny Lovell, a phenomenal Belizean singer.
Francis Reneau Concert Series 2019
Francis Reneau Presents
Mass in Blues in Belize 2013
Classical Composer Frankie Reneau Speaks the Language of Music
BELIZEAN MUSIC LEGENDS
by Bilal Morris
