Rev. Dr. Jay Regennitter in Concert

Celebrating the Centennial of the E.M. Skinner Organ

Rev. Dr. Jay Regennitter in Concert

Friday, September 5, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.

Wesley United Methodist Church at the University of Illinois

Where Campus and Community Meet

Wesley United Methodist Church is honored to present Rev. Dr. Jay Regennitter in concert on Friday, September 5, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. as part of our Centennial Organ Celebration. The performance will take place in the sanctuary of Wesley United Methodist Church at the University of Illinois (1203 W. Green Street, Urbana), with parking available in the church lot off Goodwin Avenue. Admission is free; donations will be gratefully accepted.

About the Artist

The Rev. Dr. Jay Regennitter

Rev. Dr. Jay Regennitter is a versatile and accomplished musician whose career spans performance, teaching, and church leadership. He holds a B.A. in choral music education and an M.A. in organ performance from Western Illinois University, an M.Div. from Duke University Divinity School, and a D.Min. from Christian Theological Seminary.

Jay has taught students of all ages, served as an adjudicator for solo and ensemble contests, and worked in church music for three decades. As an organist, he has performed recitals across the United States and in Italy, and as a collaborative pianist, he works extensively with school districts throughout the Chicago suburbs. In addition to his musical work, he currently serves as Directing Pastor at Coal City United Methodist Church.

The Program

The evening’s program showcases an array of organ masterworks spanning four centuries:

• Prelude, Fugue, and Chaconne in C Major, BuxWV 137 – Dietrich Buxtehude

• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Major – Elizabeth Stirling

• Pièce d’Orgue, BWV 572 – Johann Sebastian Bach

• Sonata VI – Felix Mendelssohn (Chorale, Andante sostenuto, Allegro molto, Fuga, Finale)

• Variations on SLANE – John Eggert

• Toccata in B Minor – Eugène Gigout

These works highlight the organ’s wide-ranging capabilities — from intricate counterpoint to lyrical variations and grand, virtuosic finales — and will also offer the audience a rare opportunity to hear music by Elizabeth Stirling, one of the 19th century’s most celebrated female organists and composers.

About the E.M. Skinner Organ

The 1925 E.M. Skinner organ at Wesley United Methodist Church (Opus 521) is a treasured example of American organ building at its finest. Originally installed in Smith Music Hall on the campus of the University of Illinois, the instrument was relocated to Wesley Church in 1965, where it continues to inspire worshippers, students, and concertgoers alike. Known for its rich tonal palette and expressive capabilities, the Skinner organ has been an integral part of the community’s musical life for a century.