Ian Sadler, concert organist

Ian Sadler began his musical training as a boy chorister for five years at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, UK.  He then won a Music Scholarship to Britain’s oldest high school, The King’s School, Canterbury.  Following high school, at age 17, he won the Organ Scholarship to Bristol University. During postgraduate study at London University, Ian held the Organ Scholarship at St. Paul’s Cathedral from 1978-80.  Ian holds degrees in musicology and education, with organ diplomas from Trinity College of Music and The Royal College of Organists. Before moving to Canada his final engagement in the UK was to play the organ in the movie, Chariots of Fire. 

Ian moved to Canada in 1980 following his appointments in Toronto as Director of Music at Grace Church-on-the-Hill and Choral Director at Upper Canada College.   In 1999, in recognition of his high standard of organ playing and choral directing, Ian was awarded the honorary adjunct position of Professor of Music by Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario. As an organist, Ian has represented Canada internationally on many occasions.   In 1986, the year that he became a Canadian citizen, he won 1^st prize at the Syracuse International Organ Playing Competition in the USA.  As a Canadian recitalist, tours have since taken him to Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France (Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris), Austria (Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral), and the USA (New York, Boston, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, San Francisco and Hawaii).  In 1995, Ian represented Canada as the organist for the United Nations 50^th Anniversary Celebrations in San Francisco. Since 1994, Ian has annually been the guest organ recitalist for the North American Liszt Festival held each year in Hamilton, Ontario.   In 1999, Ian was invited to represent Canada as the first Canadian juror at the International Liszt Organ Playing Competition held at the Liszt Academy in Budapest, Hungary.