Kew Sinfonia co-founder Gudrun Edwards dies aged 86

Gudrun Edwards died on September 30 at her home in Kew after a period of declining health due to a heart condition.

Mrs Edwards moved to Kew with her late husband, David, in 1965, and lived in the same house for 59 years.

During that time, she co-founded Kew Sinfonia and led the group for 30 years until her last concert as leader in 2016.

Her dedication to music was commemorated as the most recent Kew Sinfonia concert, on October 12, was dedicated to her memory.

Mrs Edwards was also a key figure in the Richmond Orchestra, leading the group between 1989 and 1999, and gave numerous concerts in local venues.

Gudrun leading the Kew Sinfonia (Image: Supplied)

She also performed as a soloist, and played duets and chamber music at other shows throughout her life.

Some highlights during her career included a recital in the Purcell Room, and her performance of Sir Lennox Berkeley’s Violin Concerto with Sir Lennox conducting.

Mrs Edwards also taught music, working privately and in schools and colleges throughout her life.

She had 15 pupils at one time coming to her house every week for lessons, many of whom would go on to take Grade 8 or higher diplomas.

As well as these private pupils, Mrs Edwards taught at Waldegrave School, Mayfield School, Richmond Adult College, Richmond-Upon-Thames College, Kingston Polytechnic, and Morley College.

She possessed boundless energy and a 'can-do' attitude that drove her to make things happen and instilled meaning and purpose in all her endeavours.

Mrs Edwards was born in 1938 in Dambritsch (now called Debrice) in Silesia, Germany, an area which is now in Poland.

Her father was killed fighting on the Russian front during the Second World War in 1944 and she and her mother and brother had to flee to Berlin and then Dinkelsbuhl when the Russian's advanced in 1945. 

Her independence was evident at just eight years old.

At the age of 13, she won a scholarship to the Junior Music Conservatoire of Nuremberg and then, from the age of 16, became a full-time student at the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik in Freiburg.

In 1959, Mrs Edwards met her English husband-to-be, Mr Edwards, on a music course at Downe House, an independent girls' school in Berkshire.

Gudrun and David, her husband, in Kew Gardens (Image: Supplied)

With Mr Edwards playing Schubert songs on the piano and singing in German, the couple fell in love and married in 1960.

They had three children, Martin, Andrew and Juliet.

Mr Edwards died in 2022 after the pair had enjoyed a marriage lasting 62 years.

During her last few weeks, she regularly sat back and said: "I have had a wonderful life," recalling, among other things, her many trips with her husband to different parts of the globe.

Many of the heartfelt letters received by the family after Mrs Edwards's passing noted the enduring love shared between her and her husband, which remained evident even in their later years.

Mrs Edwards was a 'terrific mother' to her children and is 'much missed' by her eight grandchildren.

Mrs Edwards is survived by her three children and eight grandchildren, Georgia, Laurie, Ellen, Linden, Jade, Vivian, Dan, and Ollie.