James Kennerley has barely been Portland’s municipal organist for a year, but is proving his skills of improvisation on the Kotzschmar Organ inside of Merrill Auditorium. On Tuesday, he and some talented vocalists are putting a spin on traditional holiday classics with their show, “Christmas With Kennerley.” The show will be a mix of original … Read more
[two_third_last] Out and About: Christmas with Kennerley The humongous brass facade of the Kotzschmar Memorial Organ has been a dominating sight in Merrill Auditorium since it was installed in 1912 as part of rebuilding Portland City Hall. For 2018 the Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, a nonprofit support group, welcomed a new face at the … Read more
[one_third] [/one_third] [two_third_last] I am intrigued by paradoxes. While the organ is often associated with lugubriously slow hymns in church and with desperately serious music harkening back to generations past, it has also stood for centuries as one of the most advanced mechanical devices known to man. Even in the early 20th century, few machines … Read more
[one_third] [/one_third] [two_third_last] With the season of giving approaching, it seems almost impossible not to think about gifts. Whether they are in the form of end-of-year donations to the causes you believe in, or the carefully chosen items that mark special occasions with family and friends, they seem to be everywhere this time of year. … Read more
[one_third] [/one_third] [two_third_last] This is the time of year that anticipation builds for the holiday season. Last year we were preparing to say goodbye to Ray Cornils and his last performance as the municipal organist. Now we are all looking forward to the 1st Christmas with Kennerley. Anyone who has experienced James Kennerley’s performances will … Read more
