Sarah MacDonald FRCO (born November 22, 1968) is a Canadian-born organist, conductor, and composer, living in the UK, and currently holds the positions of Fellow and Director of Music at

Selwyn College, Cambridge Selwyn College, Cambridge (formally Selwyn College in the University of Cambridge) is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1882 by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of George Augustus Selwyn (18 ...

, and Director of the girl choristers at Ely Cathedral. She has been at Selwyn since 1999, and is the first woman to hold such a post in an Oxbridge Chapel. In 2018 MacDonald was given the honorary award of Associate of the Royal School of Church Music (ARSCM).

Education

MacDonald came to the United Kingdom from Canada in 1992 as organ scholar of

Robinson College, Cambridge Robinson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1977, it is one of the newest Oxbridge colleges and is unique in having been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students of bo ...

, after studying piano, organ, and conducting at

The Royal Conservatory of Music The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), branded as The Royal Conservatory, is a non-profit music education institution and performance venue headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1886 by Edward Fisher as The Toronto Con ...

Glenn Gould School Glenn may refer to: Name or surname * Glenn (name) * John Glenn, U.S. astronaut Cultivars * Glenn (mango) * a 6-row barley variety Places In the United States: * Glenn, California * Glenn County, California * Glenn, Georgia, a settlement i ...

in Toronto with

Leon Fleisher Leon Fleisher (July 23, 1928 – August 2, 2020) was an American classical pianist, conductor and pedagogue. He was one of the most renowned pianists and pedagogues in the world. Music correspondent Elijah Ho called him "one of the most re ...

, Marek Jablonski, and John Tuttle. At Cambridge she read for a degree in music, and studied the organ with David Sanger. Her early musical studies as a pianist took place at the

Victoria Conservatory of Music Founded in 1964, the Victoria Conservatory of Music (VCM) is a music school in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The VCM has earned an outstanding reputation of quality in education, performance and music therapy. As a music school for the whole ...

on the west coast of British Columbia.

Career

MacDonald has played numerous recitals and conducted choirs throughout the UK, North America, the Middle East, New Zealand, and much of mainland Europe. She has made over 35 recordings as pianist, organist, conductor, and producer, and currently works most frequently with Regent Records. MacDonald is a winner of the

Royal College of Organists The Royal College of Organists (RCO) is a charity and membership organisation based in the United Kingdom, with members worldwide. Its role is to promote and advance organ playing and choral music, and it offers music education, training and de ...

’ (RCO) Limpus Prize, and has taught organ and conducting for Eton Choral Courses, Oundle for Organists, the Jennifer Bate Organ Academy, and courses run by the RCO. For its first 10 years, she was a regular director of the Girl Chorister Course at St Thomas' Church Fifth Avenue, in New York City, and is a guest conductor of international RSCM residential courses (Charlotte NC 2016, Rhode Island 2017, Pacific Northwest 2018, Australia 2020). MacDonald holds the Royal College of Organists' Fellowship Diploma (FRCO), is Examiner for the RCO and the Cambridge University Music Faculty, and also spent many years as a member of the Academic Board of the RCO and as a Trustee. She is an Honorary Patron of the Herbert Howells Society and of the Society of Women Organists. In 2023 she was appointed University Organist at Cambridge, the first woman to hold this ceremonial role which dates back to 1670. MacDonald is active as a composer, and has had works published by Encore Publications, the

Royal School of Church Music The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) is a Christian music education organisation dedicated to the promotion of music in Christian worship, in particular the repertoire and traditions of Anglican church music, largely through publications, tr ...

, August Press, and St James Music Press. MacDonald also writes a popular monthly column for the

American Guild of Organists The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is an international organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the US, headquartered in New York City with its administrative offices in the Interchurch Center. Founded as a professional educat ...

' magazine 'The American Organist', called "UK Report". In November 2022 a compendium of these essays was published in a boo
"Cathedrals, Chapels, Organs, Choirs"
In January 2020, the 'Sarah MacDonald Choral Series' with Selah Publishing was launched.

Selected discography

* 2022 – Regent Records: choral music by Richard Peat (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Girl Choristers of Ely Cathedral) * 2020 – Regent Records: choral music by Paul Ayres (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2019 – Regent Records: Christmas Music by

Ben Parry (musician) Ben Parry (born 1965) is a British musician, composer, conductor, singer, arranger and producer in both Classical music, classical and light music fields. He is the Director of London Voices and Artistic Director of the National Youth Choirs of G ...

(Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge & Ely Cathedral Girls' Choir) * 2019 – Regent Records: The garment of holiness, Choral Music by Iain Quinn (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2018 – Regent Records: An Ely Christmas (Girl Choristers and Layclerks of Ely Cathedral Choir) * 2018 – Regent Records: Utrumne est ornatum, Choral Music by Mark Gotham (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge & Ely Cathedral Girls' Choir) * 2017 – Regent Records: Marvellous Light, Choral Music by Ben Ponniah (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2017 – Regent Records: Christmas from Selwyn * 2016 – Regent Records: settings of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis for upper voices (Ely Cathedral Girls' Choir) * 2016 – Regent Records: choral music by John Hosking (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge & Ely Cathedral Girls' Choir) * 2015 – Regent Records: choral music for Advent and Christmas by

Alan Bullard Alan Bullard (born 4 August 1947) is a British composer, known mainly for his choral and educational music. His compositions are regularly performed and broadcast worldwide, and they appear on a number of CDs. Early career and education He was ...

, including 'O Come, Emmanuel' * 2015 – Regent Records: "The Eternal Ecstasy" – including music by MacMillan, Cooke, Tavener, Mealor, Whitacre, Lauridsen, and Bullard * 2014 – Regent Record: Choral music by Phillip Cooke (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2013 – Regent Records: Wondrous Cross: liturgical choral music by

(Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2013 – Regent Records: Penitence and Redemption: Pergolesi Stabat Mater and other music for Lent and Passiontide (Ely Cathedral Girls' Choir) * 2011 – Regent Records: Choral Music by Gary Higginson (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge & Ely Cathedral Girls’ Choir) * 2010 – Regent Records: Milles Regretz: music for lutes and voices (members of the Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2010 – Regent Records: God be in my head: Choral music by

Paul Edwards (composer) Paul Christison Edwards (born ) is an English organist and composer of music for the Anglican Church. Biography Paul Edwards was brought up in the village of Turvey in Bedfordshire and educated at St Paul's Choir School and Bedford Modern Sch ...

(Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2009 – Regent Records: Come out, Lazar: the Shorter Choral works of

Paul Spicer (musician) Paul Spicer (born 6 June 1952) is an English composer, conductor, and organist. He taught choral conducting at the Royal College of Music and conducted the RCM Chamber Choir between 1995 and 2008. Until his retirement in July 2022 he also taught ...

(Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge)Recording , Paul Spicer official website
/ref> * 2009 – Choir & Organ: A lover’s complaint: New music for choir and organ (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) (cover CD for March/April 2009 issue of Choir & Organ) * 2008 – Regent Records: A Candle to the Glorious Sun: Music by Martin Peerson & John Milton Senior (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2008 – Regent Records: Sing reign of fair maid: Music for Christmas and the New Year (Ely Cathedral Girls’ Choir) * 2007 – Priory Records: Master-Pieces from Selwyn College, Cambridge (music selected for Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge by Masters of the College) * 2006 – Kevin Mayhew: Christus vincit: Music by

Colin Mawby Colin Mawby KSG (9 May 1936 – 24 November 2019) was an English organist, choral conductor and composer. From 1961 he was Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, then from 1981 he was the choral director at Radio Telefís Éireann. He co ...

to celebrate his 70th birthday (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2006 – Priory Records: Songs of Welcome: Music for Women’s Voices (Newnham College Chamber Choir, Cambridge) * 2005 – URM Audio: The Moon of Wintertime: Carols from around the world (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2004 – Priory Records: One day in thy courts: Settings of the Psalms (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2003 – Priory Records: Complete New English Hymnal Vol. XIV (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge) * 2000 – Herald AV Productions: Herbert Howells: Evening Canticles (Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge)

Selected publications

* 2022 'Love has come' carol for SATB and organ (Encore Publications) * 2021 'Wondrous Cross' and 'Now the green blade riseth', arrangements for upper voices (Chichester Music Press) * 2021 'MacDonald in A flat', evening canticles for mixed voices (RSCM) * 2020 Several works in the 'Sarah MacDonald Choral Series' (Selah Publishing, Pittsburgh) * 2020 'Tomorrow shall be my dancing day', arrangement for ATB voices (Chichester Music Press) * 2019 'Gaudete', arrangement for mixed voices (Encore Publications) * 2019 'Take delight in the Lord', anthem for mixed voices (August Press) * 2019 'Keep me as the apple of an eye', anthem for upper voices and organ (Encore Publications, forthcoming) * 2018 'Huron Carol', arrangement for mixed voices (RSCM) * 2018 'This joyful Eastertide', carol arrangement for ATB voices (Encore Publications) * 2017 'Advent Responsories', Matin & Vesper Responsories for mixed voices (Encore Publications) * 2016 'The holly and the ivy', arrangement for upper voices and organ (Encore Publications) * 2015 'Cherry Tree Carol', arrangement for upper voices and organ (Encore Publications) * 2014 'Andrew's Song', anthem for upper voices and organ (Encore Publications) * 2013 'Miserere mei, Deus', anthem for upper voices (Encore Publications) * 2012 'MacDonald in A flat', evening canticles for upper voices and organ (St James Press, USA) * 2012 Evening canticles (two sets) for upper voices (RSCM, in volume "Open thou our lips") * 2009 Preces & Responses for upper voices (Encore Publications)

References

External links

Selwyn College, Cambridge

Royal College of Organists

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macdonald, Sarah 1968 births Alumni of Robinson College, Cambridge Canadian organists Women organists Fellows of Selwyn College, Cambridge Living people Musicians from Ottawa 21st-century Canadian conductors (music) 21st-century Canadian women musicians 21st-century organists Women conductors (music) English choral conductors Canadian choral conductors Canadian classical composers