John Sanders (musician)

John Derek Sanders OBE, FRCO (23 November 1933 – 23 December 2003) was an English organist, conductor, choir trainer and composer. He was organist of Gloucester Cathedral from 1967–1994, and director of the Three Choirs Festival from 1968–1994.

Born in Wanstead, Essex he attended Felsted School on a music scholarship, where he had his first organ lessons. In 1950 he began two years study at the Royal College of Music leading to his ARCM diploma. Here he was taught by Sir John Dykes Bower, the then organist at St Paul's Cathedral.

This was followed by a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Cambridge where Sanders was an organ scholar at Gonville and Caius College and was influenced by Patrick Hadley. During this time he also gained his Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists.

National Service in the Royal Artillery followed his graduation, but even here Sanders found opportunities for orchestral conducting.

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