James Kennerley Comes to Town

Organist James Kennerley. Photo by Tim Greenway.

Impressed by its size, mechanical complexity, tonal variety, and majestic sound, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart declared the pipe organ to be “the king of instruments.” Both seasoned fans and newcomers to the world of organ music will enjoy discovering all those aspects of the pipe organ on Sunday, May 4, when acclaimed organist James Kennerley appears in a free recital at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The performance is sponsored by the American Guild of Organists – Milwaukee chapter.

A native of the United Kingdom who performs regularly in the U.S. and Europe, Kennerley is one of only two Municipal Organists in the United States. He has held that post in Portland, Maine since 2017. (San Diego employs the nation’s other Municipal Organist.) “It’s one of the most awesome jobs I could ever imagine,” Kennerley said. He is responsible for performing on and maintaining the Kotzschmar Organ, a symphonic organ installed in the Portland City Hall auditorium. Kennerley oversees a schedule of events designed to bring organ music to the public: everything from a birthday bash for J.S. Bach to an annual Halloween Spooktacular, as well as backstage tours of the huge instrument.

Hoping to broaden public appreciation about how pipe organs can be used outside of religious settings, Kennerley writes and performs adaptations of well-known works originally composed for orchestra. These transcriptions, Kennerley said, “are not a carbon copy, but a new work for organ that has the spirit of the original.”

Kennerley’s recital will feature a family-friendly first half, complete with organ transcriptions of music from Star Wars and Harry Potter films. He also will improvise music to accompany projected scenes from Walt Disney’s classic animated movie, Fantasia.

Kennerley’s second-half performance of the monumental Sonata on the 94^th Psalm by Julius Reubke will honor the memory of John Weissrock (1938-2018), one of Milwaukee’s most renowned organists. The work was a favorite of Weissrock’s, according to David Bahrke, Sub-Dean of AGO-Milwaukee. While serving as the music director at St. Paul’s Episcopal, Weissrock helped to build a second pipe organ in the church in 1972. That instrument recently was restored; when it’s played from the console of the main organ, built in 2011, the audience will experience “the original surround sound,” Bahrke promised.

Every pipe organ is one of a kind. That presents a challenge for a visiting organist, who must determine how to use every component of an unfamiliar instrument to perform the music on the program. Kennerley will have two full days of practice on the St. Paul’s organ – “a luxury,” he said. “I need to understand the strengths of the organ and the acoustics of the room to capture the essence of the instrument.”

The public is invited to hear James Kennerley at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 914 E. Knapp St. The concert is free; doors open at 2:15 p.m. Free professionally-staffed child care is available during the performance.

Kennerley’s recital serves as a prelude to a pair of major organ events in Milwaukee this summer. The American Theatre Organ Society holds its 2025 convention here July 21-27, followed by the national convention of the Organ Historical Society, August 3-7.