She is a pianist, celesta player, harpsichordist and organist born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, who studied under full scholarship at the Chicago Musical College, now Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts, where she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music degrees. She has also gone on to win several national and international competitions.
In 1959 she was invited by Fritz Reiner to become a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra where she held the position of Principal Keyboardist. In 1962 she became the Keyboard Coach to the CSO’s training orchestra, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and was the pianist for the Chicago Symphony Chorus for 21 years. She retired from the orchestra in 2016 after 57 years as the only full-time keyboardist of the CSO since it began in 1891. She was awarded the Theodore Thomas Medallion for Distinguished Service upon her retirement.
As a soloist she frequently performed with the CSO and played on many of their Grammy winning recordings. She also gave solo performances and recorded with the Chamber Players of Ravinia Festival.
Some of the numerous recordings she has performed on include Igor Stravinsky: Petrouchka – Complete Ballet, In Concert With Boehringer Mannheim & The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Charles Ives: Symphonies Nos 1 & 4, Corigliano: Symphony No. 1, Wagner: Overtures and Preludes, Brahms: Violin Concerto/Sonata No. 3, Solti/Chicago: The Complete Recordings by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ragtimes & Serenades by DePaul Wind Ensemble, Music from Ravinia Vol. 1: James Levine Plays and Conducts Bach by James Levine and Kathleen Battle, The Stereo Collection 1954-1975 by Leopold Stokowski and Bach: Conciertos De Bramdenburgo Nos 2 & 5 – Cantata No.202 by Various artists along with many others.
In the field of musical education she is a co-founder and faculty chair of the New Music School, Chicago and was a member of the piano faculty of DePaul University for 33 years, co-ordinating the program for 22 of those years from 1980 to 2002. She has been awarded the Governor’s Award of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for her contributions to education, performance and recording and in 2020 was presented with the Dean’s Distinguished Alumni Award from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. She also maintained a private teaching studio in Chicago’s Fine Arts Building.
Sources:
- https://www.newmusicschool.com/advisory-board/mary-sauer/
- https://www.wfmt.com/2016/11/08/pianist-mary-sauer-retires-chicago-symphony-orchestra-57-years/
- https://slippedisc.com/2016/11/just-in-longest-serving-orchestral-pianist-kicks-away-the-stool/
- https://csosoundsandstories.org/mary-sauer-offers-a-glissando-of-memories-of-her-time-with-the-cso/
- https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/mary-sauer/credits/
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mary-sauer-mn0001644856/credits
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/912006-Mary-Sauer
- https://www.roosevelt.edu/colleges/ccpa/music-conservatory/music-student-achievements