From his earliest days as a chorister in England to sharing the stage with luminaries like Yo-Yo Ma and Brad Mehldau, James Kennerley has lived a musical life that blurs the boundaries between centuries, genres, and disciplines. As a young organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, he had the rare honor of performing before the late Queen Elizabeth II—an experience that distilled the qualities still at the heart of his artistry: poise, imagination, and the ability to make the organ speak with both majesty and intimacy. Today, he is hailed as “a great organist” with “phenomenal technique and sheer musicality” (Bloomberg News), while the New York Times and Wall Street Journal describe his playing as “masterly” and “sublimely focused.” His YouTube performances have reached millions worldwide, amplifying his mission to reveal the organ as a living, vibrant voice.

The Kotzschmar Legacy and Beyond

Appointed Municipal Organist of Portland, Maine in 2017, James continues a lineage of civic musicianship dating back to 1912. At the helm of the historic Kotzschmar Organ, he has redefined what the instrument can mean for a modern city, programming everything from silent films and symphonic transcriptions to sacred masterworks and dazzling improvisations. As Artistic Director of the Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, he has expanded the instrument’s reach through innovative projects that reinvent the traditional concert by including lighting and video projections, and has created educational ventures such as Backstage Pipes, a tour program that each year introduces hundreds of newcomers to the hidden world of the organ.

Choirs, Churches, and Vision

James is also Artistic Director of Aurora Camerata (formerly Saint Mary Schola), Maine’s premier early music ensemble, and Minister of Music at Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church in Falmouth, where he directs the choir and curates the parish’s vibrant musical life. He has conducted recent seasons of the Blue Hill Bach Festival and previously served as Director of Music at Saint Paul’s Choir School, Harvard Square, where he led the famed boy choristers in daily services, recordings, broadcasts, and international tours. Highlights included organizing a papal performance for Pope Francis, the release of a landmark anniversary recording (featuring both Fauré’s Requiem and his own Mass for unaccompanied choir), and a critically acclaimed return to Symphony Hall with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Thomas Adès and Andris Nelsons.

An International Career

James’s performing career has taken him to some of the world’s most storied stages, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Royal Albert Hall, the Metropolitan Museum’s MetLiveArts, the Frick Collection, Westminster Abbey, Washington National Cathedral, and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. He made his Carnegie Hall solo debut with the Sejong Soloists, was a prizewinner at the Albert Schweitzer International Organ Competition, and a finalist at the inaugural Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition.

A recognized specialist in early music, he has collaborated with William Christie, Richard Egarr, Nicholas McGegan, Monica Huggett, and Christopher Hogwood, alongside genre-defying projects with Anonymous4, Davóne Tines, and composer Gregory Spears. His longtime association with Sonnambula, ensemble-in-residence at NYC’s Frick Collection and previously at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, produced acclaimed recordings and performances at Juilliard and the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Composer, Conductor, and Tenor

James is also an award-winning composer, conductor, and tenor. His works for organ and choir have been featured by Trinity Wall Street and honored by the Association of Anglican Musicians. He has conducted premieres of rediscovered Cuban baroque music at the Hispanic Society in New York and led performances at the Carmel Bach Festival and Lincoln Center. As a singer, Alex Ross (The New Yorker) has praised his “excellent, true-toned” voice, heard with ensembles including TENET, Clarion, and the Choir of Trinity Wall Street.

Innovation Through Music

Beyond the stage, James is the creator of Improvise Your Life, a project that translates the principles of musical improvisation into tools for leadership, creativity, and resilience. Conceived as a book, workshop, and performance-lecture, it merges music and strategy, showing how artistic agility can illuminate new approaches in business and education alike.

Roots and Training

Born in the UK in 1984, James began as a chorister at Chelmsford Cathedral before studies at Harrow School, Jesus College, Cambridge (Organ Scholar), and The Juilliard School. As Organ Scholar of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, he worked daily with its choir of men and boys and performed for the late Queen. His teachers include David Sanger, Thomas Trotter, McNeil Robinson, Kenneth Weiss, and Richard Egarr. He holds the Fellowship diploma of the Royal College of Organists.

Last updated in September 2025. Please contact us directly for the most up-to-date biographical and promotional material.