Sarah MacDonald (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sarah MacDonald
MacDonald in 2019
Born	(1968-11-22) 22 November 1968 (age 56) Ottawa, Canada
Alma mater	Royal Conservatory of Music Robinson College, Cambridge
Occupation	Organist and conductor

Sarah Elizabeth Arwen MacDonald, born on November 22, 1968, is a talented musician from Canada. She is an organist, a conductor (someone who leads a musical group), and a composer (someone who writes music). Sarah lives in the United Kingdom.

She holds important jobs at Selwyn College, Cambridge and Ely Cathedral. At Selwyn College, she is a Fellow and the Director of Music. At Ely Cathedral, she leads the girl choristers (singers in a choir). Sarah has worked at Selwyn College since 1999. She was the first woman to hold such a top music job in a college chapel at Oxford or Cambridge University. In 2018, she received a special award called Associate of the Royal School of Church Music (ARSCM).

Sarah MacDonald's Journey in Music

Learning Music and Instruments

Sarah MacDonald moved to the United Kingdom from Canada in 1992. She came to Robinson College, Cambridge as an organ scholar. This means she received a scholarship to study the organ there. Before this, she studied piano, organ, and conducting at The Royal Conservatory of Music's Glenn Gould School in Toronto, Canada. She learned from famous teachers like Leon Fleisher and John Tuttle.

At Cambridge, she studied music and continued her organ lessons with David Sanger. When she was younger, she started her music studies by playing the piano at the Victoria Conservatory of Music in British Columbia.

Her Amazing Music Career

Sarah MacDonald has performed many concerts and led choirs in different parts of the world. She has played and conducted in the UK, North America, the Middle East, New Zealand, and many countries in Europe.

She has also helped create over 35 music recordings. She has worked as a pianist, organist, conductor, and even a producer for these recordings. She often works with Regent Records. Sarah won the Limpus Prize from the Royal College of Organists (RCO). She has also taught organ and conducting at special music courses for young musicians.

For ten years, she was a regular director for the Girl Chorister Course in New York City. She is also a guest conductor for international courses run by the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM). Sarah has a special diploma from the Royal College of Organists (FRCO). She also works as an examiner for the RCO and the Cambridge University Music Faculty.

In 2023, Sarah was chosen as the University Organist at Cambridge. This is a very old and important role, dating back to 1670. She is the first woman to hold this position.

Writing Music

Sarah MacDonald is also a composer. She writes her own music. Her works have been published by several companies, including Encore Publications and the Royal School of Church Music. In 2020, her own music series, the 'Sarah MacDonald Choral Series', was launched with Selah Publishing.

Writing About Music

Sarah also writes a popular monthly article for 'The American Organist' magazine. This magazine is for the American Guild of Organists. Her column is called "UK Report." In 2022, a book was published that collected many of these articles. It is called "Cathedrals, Chapels, Organs, Choirs". In 2023, Sarah also helped edit a new book of carols. This book includes her own special musical parts for nine popular carols.

In July 2023, it was announced that Sarah MacDonald will become the next President of the Royal College of Organists in July 2024. This is a very high honor in the world of organ music.

Music Recordings by Sarah MacDonald

Here are some of the recordings Sarah MacDonald has been a part of:

• 2022 – Faces in the mist: Choral music by Richard Peat.
• 2020 – Choral music by Paul Ayres.
• 2019 – Christmas Music by Ben Parry (musician).
• 2019 – The garment of holiness: Choral Music by Iain Quinn.
• 2018 – An Ely Christmas.
• 2018 – Utrumne est ornatum: Choral Music by Mark Gotham.
• 2017 – Marvellous Light: Choral Music by Ben Ponniah.
• 2017 – Christmas from Selwyn.
• 2016 – Settings of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis for upper voices.
• 2016 – Choral music by John Hosking.
• 2015 – Choral music for Advent and Christmas by Alan Bullard.
• 2015 – "The Eternal Ecstasy" – music by MacMillan, Cooke, Tavener, and others.
• 2014 – Choral music by Phillip Cooke.
• 2013 – Wondrous Cross: Choral music by Alan Bullard.
• 2013 – Penitence and Redemption: Pergolesi Stabat Mater and other music.
• 2011 – Choral Music by Gary Higginson.
• 2010 – Milles Regretz: Music for lutes and voices.
• 2010 – God be in my head: Choral music by Paul Edwards (composer).
• 2009 – Come out, Lazar: Choral works of Paul Spicer (musician).
• 2009 – A lover’s complaint: New music for choir and organ.
• 2008 – A Candle to the Glorious Sun: Music by Martin Peerson & John Milton Senior.
• 2008 – Sing reign of fair maid: Music for Christmas and the New Year.
• 2007 – Master-Pieces from Selwyn College, Cambridge.
• 2006 – Christus vincit: Music by Colin Mawby.
• 2006 – Songs of Welcome: Music for Women’s Voices.
• 2005 – The Moon of Wintertime: Carols from around the world.
• 2004 – One day in thy courts: Settings of the Psalms.
• 2003 – Complete New English Hymnal Vol. XIV.
• 2000 – Herbert Howells: Evening Canticles.

Music Published by Sarah MacDonald

Here are some of the musical pieces Sarah MacDonald has had published:

• 2023 – 'Carols of our Time': An edited collection of carols.
• 2022 – 'Love has come': A carol for choir and organ.
• 2021 – 'Wondrous Cross' and 'Now the green blade riseth': Arrangements for upper voices.
• 2021 – 'MacDonald in A flat': Evening canticles for mixed voices.
• 2020 – Several works in the 'Sarah MacDonald Choral Series'.
• 2020 – 'Tomorrow shall be my dancing day': Arrangement for ATB voices.
• 2019 – 'Gaudete': Arrangement for mixed voices.
• 2019 – 'Take delight in the Lord': An anthem for mixed voices.
• 2019 – 'Keep me as the apple of an eye': An anthem for upper voices and organ.
• 2018 – 'Huron Carol': Arrangement for mixed voices.
• 2018 – 'This joyful Eastertide': A carol arrangement for ATB voices.
• 2017 – 'Advent Responsories': Music for Advent for mixed voices.
• 2016 – 'The holly and the ivy': Arrangement for upper voices and organ.
• 2015 – 'Cherry Tree Carol': Arrangement for upper voices and organ.
• 2014 – 'Andrew's Song': An anthem for upper voices and organ.
• 2013 – 'Miserere mei, Deus': An anthem for upper voices.
• 2012 – 'MacDonald in A flat': Evening canticles for upper voices and organ.
• 2012 – Evening canticles (two sets) for upper voices.
• 2009 – Preces & Responses for upper voices.