Wallace Arthur Sabin

Who was Wallace Arthur Sabin?

Wallace Arthur Sabin was a composer and organist, born in Culworth, Northamptonshire, England. He played organ from the age of thirteen at various schools and churches in Oxford. He trained in music at Banbury and Oxford, and graduated from the Royal College of Organists in 1888. In 1890, he became a fellow of that college.

In 1894-95, Sabin moved to San Francisco to serve as organist for two congregations: Temple Emanu-El and St. Luke's Episcopal Church. He became a fellow of the American Guild of Organists in 1899. In 1904, Sabin visited and played organ recitals at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri. From 1905 until his death, Sabin played the organ for the First Church of Christ, Scientist in San Francisco, as well as at Temple Emanu-El. 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.

Sabin was married on April 1, 1913, to Kathryn Wells Bader, daughter of the pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church. 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.