Catholic Charities and St. James’ Episcopal Church Join Together for Christmas House Tour

An accomplished organist, choir director, and composer, Jacob Friedman serves both Saint James’ Episcopal Church in Goshen and Saint Joseph Church in Florida, NY.

Saint James’ Church in Goshen is hosting on Saturday, December 7th, 2024, at 6:30pm an organ and choral concert. Friedman’s program promises to offer both familiar holiday classics and original pieces that highlight his renowned improvisational skills. Friedman recently earned honors in the prestigious American Protege International Music Competition.

The organ-choral recital is being held in association with Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster. Catholic Charities has sponsored the successful Goshen Christmas House Tours for ten years. This year is the first time both organizations joined together for the Goshen Christmas House Tour and organ recital. The recital is a bonus for patrons taking the tour.

At the core of Jacob’s work is a profound sensitivity to the stories he brings to life through music. This unique approach, which combines sensitivity and precision, has attracted the praise of industry leaders and artists alike. Judith Larsen, editor of the Harvard Review, describes his music as “quite moving and played with an extremely rare sensitivity.” Jacob’s music goes right to the heart,” says Pradeep Ratnayake, a renowned sitar virtuoso from Sri Lanka.

Jacob’s performances have graced the stages of prominent venues such as Richardson Auditorium in Princeton, NJ, The Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and Weill Recital Hall in New York City.

His degree in music and religion from Columbia University and his master’s in film composition from NYU have given him a unique perspective that allows him to draw inspiration from both academic study and lived experience.