James Kennerley • Municipal Organist of Portland, Maine

James Kennerley has been hailed as “a great organist” displaying “phenomenal technique and sheer musicality” (Bloomberg News) and “serious skill” (Allan Kozinn, New York Times/Wall Street Journal). Kennerley is a multi-faceted artist, working as a conductor, keyboardist, vocalist, composer, and leadership consultant. James’ YouTube performances have enjoyed worldwide popularity and millions of views globally.

In a special program for the Feast of Corpus Christi:

Nicolas de Grigny (1672–1703)
Pange lingua gloriosi corporis mysterium
from Livre d’orgue

Maurice Duruflé (1902–1986)
Prélude et fugue sur le nom d’Alain, Op. 7

Theodore Marier (1912–2001)
Suite I from Gregorian Chant Suites: Hymns to the Blessed Sacrament

César Franck (1822–1890)
Choral no. 2 in B minor

Improvisation on Gregorian themes

In 2017 James was appointed the Municipal Organist of Portland and Artistic Director of the Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, renowned internationally for the promotion of the organ, its music, and numerous educational and outreach opportunities. In 2020, James initiated the Backstage Pipes organ tour program, which introduces hundreds of newcomers to the pipe organ each year. He is also Artistic Director of Saint Mary Schola, Maine’s only fully professional instrumental and choral ensemble, and guest conductor of Blue Hill Bach Festival.

James is Minister of Music at the historic Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church in Falmouth, Maine, where he directs the choir and performs on the fine Casavant pipe organ. Previously, he was Director of Music at Saint Paul’s Church and Choir School in Harvard Square, Cambridge MA, directing the choir of boy choristers and professional men in daily performances, concert tours, and broadcasts. James conducted a commercial recording of Faure’s Requiem and James’ own Mass for unaccompanied choir and rekindled performing relationships with organizations including the Boston Philharmonic and Boston Symphony Orchestra. In a performance of Stravinsky's Persephone the Boston Globe praised the "notably pure-voiced boys of Saint Paul's Choir School." The Arts Fuse stated "The young boys of the St. Paul's Choir School were an angelic vocal presence whose ethereal timbre encouraged key moments of this schore to dance, mysteriously."

James is frequently in demand as a performer and educator in this regard, and his trademark improvisations are frequent highlight of his versatile concert programming. Mr. Kennerley made his Lincoln Center conducing début in 2012, and his Carnegie Hall solo début in 2016. James is working on ‘Improvise Your Life’, an initiative based around musical improvisation in a TED Talk style demonstrating the synergy between creativity and innovation across multiple disciplines.

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