JACOB BENDA, D.M.A.

• Artistic & Managing Director for the Chapel Arts International Concert Series & Hoedeman Gallery of Sacred Art.
• Directs the musical and liturgical programs at the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas.
• Serves as principal organist for University liturgies and events.

• Head of Organ Area and Director of the Organ Artist Series.
• Teaches graduate and undergraduate organ students.
• Plans, schedules, and facilitates organ concerts by international artists at the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas.
• Curator of University pipe organs.

• Consults with institutions seeking a new pipe organ regarding scope, builder and design.
• Clients have included Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Minneapolis, MN, and the St. John Vianney Seminary at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN.

• Performs solo organ concerts at universities, festivals, and churches throughout the United States and Europe. Notable engagements include performances at the Universities of Arizona, Iowa, Minnesota, North Texas, Christ Church Cathedral in New Orleans, Plymouth Congregational Church in Seattle, the 2022 Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Eastern European Tour in November of 2023, North American Tour with the award-winning ensemble, Le Quatuor International de Saxophones in 2024.
• Featured soloist with orchestras including the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, the University of St. Thomas Festival Orchestra, and the University of St. Thomas Student Orchestra.
• Guest Lecturer at Yale University, the 2018 East Texas Pipe Organ Festival, the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow, Poland, Glendale Methodist Church in Los Angeles, the 2014 American Guild of Organists National Convention, and others.

Recorded the first commercial recording of organ music by American composer, Clarence Mader.

Music at Midnight, A Tonal Palette,

Organ Music by Clarence Mader

(Centaur Label, CRC 3361).

Applauded by the American Record Guide as:

"an important picture of American organ art in the 20th century...talented young American organist Jacob Benda performs with confident rhythmic stability and polished technical assurance."