The recipient of the Jeanne van Dijk – Koning memorial award presented to youngster Gaia Bar Magen for her violin lessons through the Jeugd Fonds Sport en Cultuur Amsterdam.

The Koninklijk Conservatorium Rudi Martinus van Dijk Conductor’s Prize winner has been announced.

After more than 15 years working with local primary schools (initially Peasmarsh and Beckley primary schools, and then expanding to include Rye Primary, St Thomas’ Winchelsea and Icklesham Primary in recent years), the Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival was delighted to have the opportunity to once again work with more than 140 children from across all five partner schools this year on a programme of workshops focussing on composition and songwriting.

Violinist and Foundation Secretary and board member Anthony Marwood played Rudi’s Violin Sonata to a packed house at Yellow Barn Music Festival’s Big Barn yesterday evening.

The foundation is pleased to announce that the Violin Sonata will receive its American premiere on Thursday July 25th, 2024 in Big Barn at the Yellow Barn Music Festival in Putney, Vermont with violinist Anthony Marwood and pianist Julian Chan.

This year’s education project is in memory of the president and founder of our long-time funder, the Rudi Martinus van Dijk Foundation, Jeanne van Dijk-Koning who lived for many years in Peasmarsh and then in Rye, and who sadly passed away earlier this year.

In February, the famous cellist Raphael Wallfisch and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, with Ed Spanjaard will make a recording of all works for cello by Henriëtte Bosmans.

The Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival was delighted to once again return to their five partner
primary schools to offer a series of music workshops in the summer of 2023, focusing on
composition and songwriting funded by the Rudi Martinus van Dijk Foundation.

“Let us close our eyes to focus our minds on the inner light, our common light, in whose brightness we shall be able to walk together in the dark.
Let us close our eyes as a gesture of trust in the guidance of the one Spirit who will move us if we open our hearts.
One is the human spirit, but the human spirit is more than human because the human heart is unfathomable.
Into this depth let us silently sink our roots. There lies our only source of peace.”

We are pleased to announce the boards decision to fund the commission of a new 10 minute orchestral work by the young Dutch composer Carlijn Metselaar