199: It (was) a man's world: Sarah MacDonald

The Leadership Enigma

Sarah MacDonald operates in a world that has been dominated by men since 1209. She is a Canadian-born conductor, organist, pianist, and composer, living in the UK, and she holds the positions of Fellow and Director of Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and Director of the Girl Choristers at Ely Cathedral. This episode is a glimpse into a world few know about but many have experienced including during the Queen's funeral and the King's Coronation. Sarah has recently been appointed to the role of President of the Royal College of Organists, where she is the third woman to hold this role which is the highest position offered within this niche world. The world of cathedral music is steeped in history and tradition and is celebrated globally especially during Christmas. As a young girl growing up, Sarah was not allowed to sing in the choirs so she discovered that being female would not preclude her from conducing so she decided to become an organ scholar at Cambridge University and essentially never left. In the cathedral tradition, all roles were male for hundreds of years. In fact it was only in the late 19th century that female students were allowed to study at Cambridge University. In this incredible episode Sarah explains the history and nuance to working, studying and leading at Cambridge University where she became the University Organist, a role founded in 1670 and Sarah is the first female in that role. The role of religion is an obvious element to the world of cathedral music and Sarah explains that it is a community of all faiths and none as they promote inclusivity for all. We discover how Sarah balances her intense search for perfection with teaching her students to experiment, make mistakes yet strive to be the very best they can be in high stakes performances. www.sarahmacdonald.live

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