Background
Sabin, Wallace Arthur was born on December 15, 1869 in Northamptonshire, England. Son of James and Annie Eliza (Parsons) Sabin.
composer conductor organist choir director
Sabin, Wallace Arthur was born on December 15, 1869 in Northamptonshire, England. Son of James and Annie Eliza (Parsons) Sabin.
He trained in music at Banbury and Oxford, and graduated from the Royal College of Organists in 1888.
He played organ from the age of thirteen at various schools and churches in Oxford. In 1890, he became a fellow of that college. He became a fellow of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) in 1899.
In 1904, Sabin visited and played organ recitals at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Sabin was president of the San Francisco Chapter of AGO from 1911 to 1913, then again from 1923 to 1926. Sabin was the first Dean of the chapter.
The couple had one daughter, Patricia. In 1915, Sabin was the official organist of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, and, for one concert, simultaneously directed the Exposition chorus, a body of 400 voices, and played organ accompaniment as Camille Saint-Saëns conducted the 80-member orchestra.
Sabin joined the Bohemian Club, served twice on the board of directors, and wrote music for two Grove Plays, one in 1909 and one in 1918.
Both works were written for tenor, baritone, men"s chorus and orchestra. In addition, he composed much incidental music for the club Sabin was active in other clubs, including the Berkeley Lodge Number.
363, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
The Scottish Rite Consistory at Oakland (Sabin earned the thirty-second degree), the Sequoia Club in San Francisco. The Athenian-Nile Club in Oakland, and the Faculty Club of the University of California, Berkeley.
He directed the chorus of the San Francisco Musical Club, the Loring Club (men"s chorus), the Saturday Morning Orchestra (women"s group), the Twentieth Century Music Club, and the Vested Choir Association of San Francisco. Sabin set various parts of the Jewish service to music, and is published in Stark"s Service Book.
In 1920 with Edwin H. Lemare and Uda Waldrop, Sabin helped inaugurate the Bohemian Club"s outdoor organ, Austin opus 913, set into the main stage at the Bohemian Grove.
By 1924, Sabin was living in Berkeley. He died at his home in Berkeley on December 8, 1937. A service was held January 23, 1938 at Grace Cathedral, with a memorial written by Cantor Reuben R. Rinder: "Number minister of the Lord ever worshiped at the altar with greater reverence than did Wallace Sabin as he presided at the organ console.
His music leads us from egoism to love.
From the world to the soul. From the soul to God.".
Fellow American Guild of Organists, Royal College Organists.
Married Kathryn Wells Rader, April.