Sadie was educated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he read music under Thurston Dart, Charles Cudworth and Patrick Hadley. He graduated BA Mus.B. (Class II) in 1953, and Ph.D. in 1958. His thesis was on eighteenth-century British chamber music. Whilst at Cambridge Sadie became an accomplished and active bassoonist, participating in many performances given by Cambridge University Musical Club and College musical societies.
Contains notebooks, music manuscripts, essays, lecture notes, research notes, curriculum vitae, employment references and concert programmes.