In 1959, sixth music director Fritz Reiner invited Mary Sauer to perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; at that time, the position of keyboard was not included on the Orchestra’s personnel listing. By the beginning of the 1967–68 season, Jean Martinon officially added her to the roster, and she was named principal for the opening of the 2000–01 season. Sauer also was accompanist for the Chicago Symphony Chorus for 21 years, hired by founding director Margaret Hillis in 1958. After nearly six decades of service to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, she retired in 2016 as the only full-time, principal keyboard since the Orchestra’s founding.
Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Sauer received both bachelor and master’s performance degrees from Chicago Musical College. Her teachers include legendary pianist/composer/pedagogue Rudolph Ganz, William Kapell and Irene Schneidmann.
A frequent soloist on piano, celesta, organ and harpsichord, Sauer has played concertos under Sir Georg Solti, Martinon, Hillis, Carlo Maria Giulini, Claudio Abbado, Rafael Kubelík, Zubin Mehta, Charles Dutoit, Walter Hendl and Alan Gilbert. Her recording credits with the Orchestra include works with Solti, Giulini, Leopold Stokowski, Leonard Bernstein, Michael Tilson Thomas, Pierre Boulez, James Levine and Riccardo Muti. Sauer also recorded with the Ravinia Festival Chamber Players. Among her fondest memories are performing Stravinsky’s Petrushka with Pierre Monteux, who had conducted its world premiere in 1911; her teacher Rudolph Ganz’s Piano Concerto with Martinon; Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto with Solti; and playing the portative organ in Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion conducted by Peter Schreier.
Since 1962, Sauer has been keyboard coach of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and for 33 years was a member of the DePaul University piano faculty — 22 of those years as head of the keyboard program there. She now serves as piano advisor and faculty chair for the New Music School. Her students, numbering in the thousands, include concert pianists, conductors, music directors and teachers. Through the years she has collaborated with various chamber groups including the Chicago Symphony String Quartet, Symphony Chamber Soloists of Chicago, Alistaire Trio and Gilcrest Chamber Society. She is artistic advisor and coach for the International Chamber Artists and has had a long association with the Wisconsin Peninsula Music Festival. Sauer is a recipient of the Governor’s Award of the Chicago Chapter of the Recording Academy for her contributions in education, performance and recording, along with her many years as the CSO’s keyboardist.
“For me, playing with the CSO has been a constant joy and inspiration which has never wavered,” remembered Sauer. “I have the greatest admiration for my colleagues, their consummate musicianship and their passion and love for this profession.”
In retirement, Sauer has continued as keyboard coach for the Civic Orchestra and maintains her teaching studio in Chicago’s Fine Arts Building.
