Thank you so much for including these. Here is the information for our next concert with a picture attached:

This summer’s noonday concert series at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul continues on Wednesday, July 22 with a performance by one of Maine’s great organists, Ray Cornils. Mr. Cornils is the Municipal Organist (www.foko.org) for the City of Portland, a post which he has held since 1990.

Mr. Cornils also serves First Parish Church, UCC in Brunswick, Maine as Minister of Music where he leads an extensive music program of five vocal and two handbell choirs. In addition, he is a member of the music faculties of Bowdoin College, the University of Southern Maine, and the Portland Conservatory of Music, where he teaches organ, harpsichord and related classes.

Born in Sterling, Illinois, Mr. Cornils received the B. Mus. degree from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and the M. Mus. degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. He has studied organ with Robert Reeves, Fenner Douglas, William Porter, Yuko Hayashi and Dame Gillian Weir, and harpsichord with William Porter, Lenora McCroskey, Rhona Freeman and Lisa Goode Crawford.

Ray has concertized throughout the United States and in Germany, France, Spain, Russia, New Zealand and Ecuador. Recent concerts have included the famed Wanamaker Organ at Philadelphia’s Macy’s Store, the Spreckles Organ in San Diego’s Balboa Park, and the International Festival of Sacred Music in Quito Ecuador. He has been a featured recitalist for conventions of the American Guild of Organists and the Organ Historical Society. In addition to his solo work, he performs regularly with the Portland Symphony Orchestra (including solo concertos such as Samuel Barber’s Toccata Festiva, all six of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerti and Poulenc’s Concerto Champetre) and Musica Tricinia, a group of two trumpets and organ. His CD recording, The Mighty Kotzschmar, has been released on the Pro Organo label.

His concert at the Basilica will include works by Vierne, Franck, Schubert and Widor.

The summer concert series at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul consists of half-hour programs beginning at 12:15 on Wednesdays during July and August and feature accomplished musicians from all over North America. These concerts are free and open to the public. Donations for the organ restoration fund are greatly appreciated.