Samuel Sanford


Samuel Simons Sanford was an American pianist and educator.

Early life

He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Education

He studied piano in New York with William Mason. He went to Paris and studied with Alfred Jaëll, Louis Plaidy, Théodore Ritter, and Édouard Batiste. In 1869, he became acquainted with Anton Rubinstein, and later studied with him.

Career

He travelled with Rubinstein during his first American tour in 1872-73. Ignacy Jan Paderewski changed his execution of octave playing after hearing Sanford play, and once described Sanford as the most musically gifted person he ever knew.
Sanford brought Sir Edward Elgar's music to American attention through the brothers Walter and Frank Damrosch and Theodore Thomas. He was instrumental in having Elgar awarded an honorary doctorate in music from Yale University in 1905; at the conferral ceremony on 28 June, Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 was played, instituting the tradition of playing noble processional music at graduation ceremonies. Later that year, Elgar returned the compliment by dedicating his Introduction and Allegro to Sanford.
Sanford joined the Yale Music Faculty as Professor of Applied Music in 1894, along with Horatio Parker as Professor of Theory. During the sixteen years he worked at Yale, he refused to be paid any salary as he was independently wealthy.
He died at home on 6 January 1910 after a long illness.

Sanford Medal

In 1972 Yale University instituted the Samuel Simons Sanford Medal, to honour celebrated concert artists and distinguished members of the music profession. Recipients have included: