Ogunquit Performing Arts is thrilled to present Master Organist James Kennerley for a special performance on Friday, September 18, 2026. His program will include a variety of sacred, secular and light classics.
James Kennerley, an English-born organist, conductor, composer, and tenor, has built an international career in both sacred and concert music. He is particularly known for his virtuoso organ playing, his work with choirs, and his efforts to make organ music accessible to wider audiences.
The performance will be held at the Ogunquit Baptist Church, which is home to a hybrid organ designed by the Faucher Organ Company of Biddeford, ME.
Kennerley was appointed Municipal Organist for the City of Portland, ME, in 2017, becoming steward of the famous Kotzschmar Organ, one of the best-known municipal pipe organs in the United States. He has performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Royal Albert Hall, Westminster Abbey, and Washington National Cathedral. In addition to organ performance, he is active as a conductor, singer, and composer, with choral works performed internationally.
Kennerley was educated at Jesus College, the University of Cambridge, UK, and The Juilliard School, studying organ, harpsichord, and conducting. Early in his career, he served as Organ Scholar at Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London, where he performed several times in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II.
What many listeners find distinctive about Kennerley is his willingness to break away from the stereotype of the organ as a church instrument only. He has programmed everything from Bach and French symphonic organ music to silent-film accompaniments, jazz collaborations, and even disco-inspired concerts on the Kotzschmar Organ.