Jose Rosado - Organist and Music Director

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José Rosado was appointed Organist and Director of Music at St. James Episcopal Church in November 2008.  He has previously served at Presbyterian, United Methodist, and Seventh Day Adventist congregations in Chicago.

His love for music, especially that of Bach, the Baroque period and keyboard instruments was evident at a young age. At age 11, he and his mother went to Easter mass with an aunt and with permission, went up to the organ loft to be able to finally see and hear a pipe organ in person. He marveled as he watched the organist’s hands and feet play upon the keyboards and pedals. After service, as they exited the church, he calmly said to his mother , “I’m going to play one of those when I grow up.”

José is largely self-taught and has had virtually no formal music instruction. At age 14, he began to teach himself to play piano by ear and learned to read music in a general music class while a sophomore in high school.  At age 16 he met Dr. Louis Playford, then organist at Christ Lutheran Church in Chicago.  Dr. Playford was impressed by the keyboard knowledge José had attained on his own and was moved by his enthusiasm and interest in the organ, that he taught him organ technique and hymn playing for over a year.

José currently lives in Harwood Heights in Chicago and works for Power Great Lakes - Power Solutions Inc. in Wood Dale, Illinois.   José's favorite pastimes are music, cooking and international cuisine, and studying foreign languages and cultures.

You can contact Jose by emailing him at the link above or by leaving a message on the parish phone.