Faculty Chair Profile

Mary Sauer

NMS Piano Faculty
Retired Principal Pianist, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The Principal Keyboardist, (now retired, 2016), of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1959, when she joined at the invitation of Fritz Reiner, as well as the Keyboard Coach, since 1962, of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the training orchestra of the CSO, MARY SAUER, solo concert pianist, also has an outstanding reputation as a music educator.

She was on the piano faculty of DePaul University School of Music for 33 years, where she was the coordinator of the keyboard program for 22 years (1980-2002), having overseen the creation and development of a comprehensive course of study and guidelines for the Piano Program. Along with teaching Applied Piano, Graduate Piano Pedagogy and Piano Master Class, she frequently appeared in chamber music concerts and as concerto soloist with the DePaul large ensembles. In addition to her many professional DePaul graduates, Miss Sauer’s private studio, located in the landmark Fine Arts Building, Chicago, has produced many concert pianists, conductors, and high school and university teachers world-wide. Her unique teaching approach solves problems of tension which frees the individual’s inner musicality and artistry.

Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Miss Sauer received both B.M. and M.M. Piano Performance Degrees, under full scholarship, from the Chicago Musical College (now in the Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts). Her teachers have included mentor Rudolph Ganz, William Kapell, Irene Schneidmann, and Mollie Margolies.

A winner in national and international piano competitions, Miss Sauer was a frequent soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on piano, celesta, organ, and harpsichord, playing concertos under conductors Sir Georg Solti, Jean Martinon, Carlo Maria Giulini, Claudio Abbado, Rafael Kubelik, Pierre Boulez, Zubin Mehta, Charles Dutoit, Margaret Hillis, Walter Hendl, and Henry Mazer, among others. She also is a featured soloist on many of the CSO’s recordings, including numerous Grammy awards, with Solti, Giulini, Leopold Stokowski, Leonard Bernstein, Michael Tilson Thomas, and James Levine, as well as on discs with the Chamber Players of the Ravinia Festival. For twenty-one years, she was the pianist for the Chicago Symphony Chorus under conductor Margaret Hillis.

MARY SAUER

Concert Pianist

Miss Sauer, having completed 57 years with the CSO, not only is the first and only full-time keyboardist since the CSO’s inception in 1891, but she pioneered the development and establishment of the first position of its kind in any symphony orchestra, world-wide. In her populat lecture, “The Many Faces of the Orchestral Keyboardist”, she elaborates on the interesting scope of this position. Miss Sauer also holds the distinction of being the second female to hold a principal chair in the CSO’s history. Miss Sauer not only is continuing to be the Keyboard Coach for the pianists of the Civic Orchestra, but she and her husband are long members of the CSO Alumni Association.

Much in demand as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, lecturer, and for master classes, Miss Sauer frequently has performed as guest artist with numerous other orchestras. In addition, she had a long association with the Peninsula Music Festival in Wisconsin, performing as soloist for eighteen consecutive seasons.

Having studied under the guidance of Alexander Schneider, her commitment to the chamber music repertoire was shown by her long involvement with the CSO Chamber Music Series, collaborating with several ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony String Quartet, the Symphony Chamber Soloists of Chicago, the Alistaire Trio, the Gilcrest Chamber Society, and the Contemporary Arts Quartet.

As one of the founders of the New Music School, Chicago, Miss Sauer currently serves on the school’s Artist Faculty and as Keyboard Chair. She is a member of the MTNA, as well as a life member of the music fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota, and of the National Federation of Music Clubs, the Musicians Club of Women, the Lake View Music Club, and the Schubert Club in Kenosha, WI.

Mary Sauer was the recipient of the Governor’s Award of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for her contributions in education, performance, and recording, and for her many years as the Orchestra’s keyboardist. She, as well, has been appointed to the International Roster of Steinway Artists. On her retirement from the CSO, she received, from conductor Riccardo Muti, the CSO’s Theodore Thomas Medallion for Distinguished Service. In 2020, Miss Sauer was honored to receive, from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts, the Dean’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

Miss Sauer lives in Highland Park, IL, with her husband, Richard Hannenberg. They cherish much needed relaxation at their cliff-shore cottage in Door County, WI, whenever possible.