"Dynamic conducting together with originality in programming and high standards have made the orchestra one of the best. The Symphony has been liberated both financially and artistically and many point to Sanford as its messiah. It has blossomed into an orchestra of significance whose players, under Sanford, have matured technically and musically into an instrument of virtuoso caliber."

This is the media’s commentary on Maestro Douglas Sanford’s reputation as conductor and orchestra builder. Canadian Images Magazine cited Mr. Sanford as one of music’s "up-and-coming stars". He has conducted nearly every Canadian orchestra and orchestras in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the United States. His performances have been frequently recorded and broadcast on the CBC national radio. In 2005 Maestro Sanford was the feature of a documentary produced by firelight cinema and broadcast on CBC television.  

Maestro Sanford is Artistic Director/Conductor of the Saskatoon Symphony, an organization which, since his arrival in the autumn of 2002, has posted increased tickets sales and its first annual surpluses in over a decade.  The press declared

“this orchestra (Saskatoon) has always been a good symphony but it seems to be truly reaching for a new level of excellence…. it achieves new levels of success under Sanford. Hands down, the most spectacular music I’ve ever heard in this city.”

As his reputation grows Maestro Sanford increasingly chooses to guest conduct rarely. Rather, he invests the majority of his energy with his orchestra, overseeing all artistic details and building a strong artistic organization within a unique creative environment.

An award-winning clarinetist, Douglas Sanford began his career with a performance degree from the University of Western Ontario and received the UWO's Lombardo Award for performing excellence. The next two years were spent in Chicago at Northwestern University as a student of world renowned clarinetist Robert Marcellus, principal with George Szell's Cleveland Orchestra.  During this time he also pursued his conducting interests in a mentor relationship with Charles Dutoit, Klaus Tennstedt and Gunther Herbig. In 1985, Mr. Sanford became a clarinetist with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. He jumped into the conducing profession when, on one hour's notice, he was called upon to conduct a public concert and CBC national radio broadcast with the Hamilton Philharmonic. Numerous guest conducting appearances across the country soon followed. From 1992 until 2002 Maestro Sanford was Music Director of Orchestra Toronto and from 1997 until 2002 also served as Music Director of the Okanagan Symphony.

Mr. Sanford served on the Board of Directors of Orchestras Canada for six years and was Administrator of that organization's Conductor Training Workshop with Maestro’s Gustav Meier, Pinchas Zukerman and Jorma Panula. Mr. Sanford took this training program for young conductors across the country and collaborated with the orchestras of Vancouver, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton and the National Arts Centre. In 1999 a jury of his peers from the Canadian music establishment presented Mr. Sanford the Evens Memorial Award for "the beneficial force which he is exerting on the Canadian music community". In November 2003, on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, Maestro Sanford received the Queens Gold Medal from the government of Canada in recognition of his achievements and in 2006 he was awarded the Centennial Medal of distinction from the province of Saskatchewan. Mr. Sanford has an avid interest in psychology and architecture. He has been directly involved with the restoration/renovation of over 14 homes across Canada including numerous historical properties in Toronto.