A fitting tribute to music lover Rudi
Friday January 28
The Endymion Ensemble – concert in memory of Rudi Sheldon
Norden Farm
Maidenhead Music presents The Endymion Ensemble, playing winds, strings and piano: a Prokofiev Overture, Mozart’s Horn Concerto and a sextet by Dohnanyi.
The concert will celebrate the life of former member Rudi Sheldon. The society paid this tribute to him:
“What will make this concert special, is that it is dedicated to Rudi Sheldon. We had hoped to congratulate and celebrate with him, but Rudi sadly died in November. He had a very long and active life in which he made a considerable contribution to the cultural life of Maidenhead.
Rudi Sheldon moved to Maidenhead in 1967 to be a headmaster and immediately became a member of Maidenhead Music Society. He has been our Treasurer, Chairman and Concert Secretary (from 1975 to 1990) and a committee member to the end.
He was a violinist with three orchestras – the Aldworth Philharmonic, The Crowthorne Symphony and the Windsor and Maidenhead Symphony Orchestra (for more than 30 years).
He was active in promoting Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, and one of their trustees.
His love of music and rugby contributed to his writing the lyrics of an opera Margaret of Maidenhead which was performed there in 2004. He was also Chairman of Maidenhead Arts and felt strongly about cultural co-operation.
Rudi was a refugee from Nazi persecution with a European outlook. With his wife, Adi, Rudi was a Borough Councillor – an enthusiast for town twinning and walking. As a teacher he was always interested in young people and being active with them – probably his secret for living 97 active years.
A few anecdotes about Rudi:
When Rudi presented the opera Margaret of Maidenhead, he wrote…
“Maidenhead was not only in a pleasant part of the Thames Valley with much good walking around, it was also full of enterprising people and a healthy social life. Too many people moan and complain. I thought it was time to confirm the opposite. I started writing the words and making up a story incorporating something serious, but in the tradition of classical comic opera, something essentially happy.”
On Monday November 9 1981, Rudi arrived at the Town Hall at 5pm to set up for the concert by the Endellion String Quartet – to be refused entry by the police, as there was a bomb scare. Rudi immediately got in touch with the caretaker at Desborough School and physically rearranged the concert there, organising, people, publicity and chairs – and the concert went ahead smoothly!