About Rudi Martinus van Dijk

Rudi studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in the Hague and emigrated to Canada in 1953. The Canada Council of the Arts enabled him to further his studies in Paris and London. In the 1950s and ’60s, Rudi wrote music for and also performed as a pianist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Between 1964–1966 Rudi worked at the BBC and was then appointed teacher of piano and composition at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and in 1972 at Indiana University and Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1985, he returned to Europe and became composer in residence at Dartington Hall in Devon, UK. Over the next thirty years, Rudi’s music became increasingly popular and was played in Canada, the USA and Europe. Rudi died in 2003.

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Time stands frozen as future slides across bygone.

From the poem Immobile Eden by Rudi Martinus van Dijk

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How Rudi’s compassion and work inspires our foundation

We founded the Rudi Martinus van Dijk Foundation according to Rudi’s belief that we should “enrich and understand each other’s cultural and musical diversity;” to further the hope for greater world peace. Our fundraising charitable music organisation helps aspiring composers and conductors who live in parts of the world where there is political strife or economic deprivation. Through sponsorship, scholarships and workshops, we bring about social change by giving young people opportunities to develop their talents.

In 2013, our foundation helped to support Mister Finney de Opera, a children’s opera, composed by Joey Roukens in the Netherlands. Next, we are sponsoring a composition workshop for young composers associated with the “National Youth Orchestra of Iraq”: http://www.nyoiraq.com/. It will be held in August 2014 in the Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah.

You can help us continue Rudi’s legacy by making a donation.