Van Dijk's musical background began on the piano at the age of six.
In 1944, he took up preparatory piano studies with Corrie Vierdag  at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague.
From the age of 18, Van Dijk continued as a full-time student at the conservatory studying piano with Leon Orthel, oboe with Jaap Stotijn, and composition and analysis with Hendrik Andriessen.
Van Dijk came to the fore as a composer when his Sonatina for piano was chosen and performed at the International Gaudeamus Music week in 1953.
Later that year, he was engaged by the Canadian Army to join the Canadian Grenadier Guards Band as an oboist.
He married Jeanne Koning and they moved to Ontario, Canada.
As a bandsman, he also became a pupil (summer of 1955) of the American composer Roy Harris.
Van Dijk's musical background began on the piano at the age of six. In 1944, he took up preparatory piano studies with Corrie Vierdag  at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. From the age of 18, Van Dijk continued as a full-time student at the conservatory studying piano with Leon Orthel, oboe with Jaap Stotijn, and composition and analysis with Hendrik Andriessen. Van Dijk came to the fore as a composer when his Sonatina for piano was chosen and performed at the International Gaudeamus Music week in 1953. Later that year, he was engaged by the Canadian Army to join the Canadian Grenadier Guards Band as an oboist. He married Jeanne Koning and they moved to Ontario, Canada. As a bandsman, he also became a pupil (summer of 1955) of the American composer Roy Harris.
Rudi Martinus van Dijk