Biography - The official André Rieu website Biography 1949 André is born under the sign of Libra as his parents’ third child. His parents and their two young daughters had moved from Amsterdam to Maastricht shortly before. (André later got two brothers and another sister). To the present day, André Rieu has been at home in the beautiful capital of the Dutch Province of Limburg, namely in Maastricht. 1954 André, his brothers and sisters grow up exclusively with classical music: symphonies, chamber music and opera. Encouraged by his father, a professional conductor, André starts taking violin lessons at the age of five. A.R.:"I had great difficulty concentrating at the start. That was because my violin teacher was so beautiful and so blonde that I fell in love with her and stared at her all the time, instead of listening to her instructions!" 1967 After leaving grammar school, the talented young man first continues his musical training on the violin at the conservatoire in Liège and later in Maastricht (until 1973).His teachers are Jo Juda and Herman Krebbers.

1974 André Rieu moves to the conservatoire in Brussels, where he receives violin tuition from André Gertier. Still a student, André marries his "great love", Marjorie. André Rieu concludes his musical training with distinction (Premier Prix) at the conservatoire in Brussels. 1978 Their first son is born. His name is Marc. In the same year, André Rieu founds his first orchestra, the Maastricht Salon Orchestra, with which he appears in the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany and even the United States. At the same time (until 1989) he is engaged as a violinist in the Limburg Symphony Orchestra. André's and Marjorie's second son, Pierre, is born. 1987 André recruits his Johann Strauss Orchestra. A.R.:"At that time, we rehearsed for 6 months before getting started. There were just twelve musicians in the beginning. Today, there are 43, and sometimes even 50 on very large stages. "In the same year, the new orchestra leader and his wife found the André Rieu Productions company.

1988 New Year's Day is the big moment: André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra give their first public concert. This is soon followed by brief tours, also through the Benelux countries and the Federal Republic of Germany. 1994 The "From Holland with Love" album is released in the Netherlands and something happened that no one would have thought possible: "From Holland with Love" triggers a waltz wave in the tiny country.A.R.: "This CD was the definitive breakthrough for me. One of the pieces on it is the "Second Waltz", a beautiful, very melancholy waltz. Really, the piece is called 'Waltz No. 2 from Jazz Suite No. 2' by Dmitry Shostakovich, but itwould probably never have been a hit with a title like that. Marjorie came up with the name 'Second Waltz' at the time, and that's what it became famous as. "From Holland with Love" soon headed the Top 100 in the Netherlands. The album stayed in the Top 10 for more than a year!

1995 At an international football match in Amsterdam stadium, the smart man from Maastricht fills the half-time interval with the "Second Waltz". The fans in the stands sway in time with the music and hum along enthusiastically, as do the TV viewers. While Ajax eventually wins the match against Bayern München, André Rieu gains thousands of new followers. After an initial concert in Hamburg's Musikhalle and several television appearances, the "From Holland with Love" album is also released in Germany, where it instantly heads for the charts and gets into the Top 5 with ease. It stays for months in the weekly hit list compiled by Media Control and receives several gold and platinum disks. 1996 André Rieu is dubbed the "Modern King of Waltz" by the media and next launches the "The Vienna I love" and the live "In Concert" albums on the European music market. Again, he can assert himself in the charts in many countries, even against international pop icons like Madonna, for example. A.R.

on "The Vienna I Love": "The album 'The Vienna I Love' contains two violin solos that I particularly enjoy playing: the spirited gipsy melody 'Hör ich Zimbalklänge' and the 'Méditation' from the opera Thais by Jules Massenet. I've been playing the latter piece for about 20 years now, but I still find it a fascinating melody. And when I'm on the stage, I can always very clearly sense that it goes straight to the audience's heart as well. Of course, that motivates and inspires me! A.R. on "In Concert": "A live CD is always something very special, I think. You really get to feel the atmosphere that filled the auditorium. 'In Concert' was recorded at the Concertgebouw in Haarlem, a wonderful concert hall with a magnificent audience. Also in 1996, André Rieu received the World Music Award in Monte Carlo. 1997 A year of hard work: André Rieu has little time for his private life and family, as he is permanently on the road with the Johann Strauss Orchestra. An extensive concert tour takes the charming orchestra leader and his musicians across half of Europe.

Still, he takes the time to record "The Christmas I love" and thus fulfill a personal musical wish: "When making this CD, we chose the songs that I've heard at Christmas from my childhood on. They very much remind me of Christmas at home with my parents and of the many, many midnight masses I sang in as a choirboy…" 1998 On the "Romantic Moments" album, the "King of Waltz" puts the emphasis on dreamy, romantic melodies. The tone is set by the "Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet". In addition, André Rieu this time comes up with classical pieces, such as the "Etude op.10" by Chopin, Mozart's "Adagio" and the melancholy "Far From Home Largo" from the From the New World symphony by Antonín Dvorák.A.R. on "Romantic Moments": This CD is totally different from all the others. I like listening to that kind of music when I have time to dream. Although I lead a fairly hectic life, I'm a romantic person at heart and love peace and quiet.

Antonin Dvorak's music really puts me in a happy, contented mood." 2003 The tour in Japan is extended to include 17 concerts in 11 different Japanese cities. As André is celebrating 25 years on the stage, an anniversary CD is released in the autumn: Romantic Paradise. To include his fans in the celebrations, André makes Romantic Paradise into a double CD, one of the two CDs being a gift. The CDs are enormously successful. The Romantic Paradise Special is recorded in the Italian town of Cortona. André invites his fans to come from all over the world to attend the recordings for the special - three concerts - all for free! Later in the same year, preparations begin for a tour of the USA and Canada, planned for April/May 2004. 2006 The year 2006 began in the traditional way, with a winter tour in Germany. In March, André was touring in France and in April and May he was back in the USA and Canada. The tour included 25 cities, making this the biggest USA/Canada tour ever! In July the brand-new André Rieu office opened in New York.

That month also turned out to be the busiest month ever. In Vienna a fabulous special was recorded on the square in front of Schönbrunn Palace; it turned out to be the biggest production ever undertaken within the André Rieu concern. Within a week André was waltzing his home town of Maastricht off its feet with three midsummer night concerts ending with a special appearance from the Harlem Gospel Choir. One week after that the same choir joined André on the stage in their own home town, New York, where a second special was recorded in the famous Radio City Music Hall. That evening André and his orchestra won the hearts of thousands of Americans in just a few hours, raising the roof of New York’s famous theatre. Both specials appeared on DVD; the new CD reflected the New York special. September 2006: 4 concerts in Tokyo. October, November, December: concerts on the west coast of the USA, in Canada, Germany and Belgium. André Rieu is living up to his nickname of the Flying Dutchman more than ever before! 2007 A report of the 2006 American tour was broadcast on Dutch television as a series of six programmes from January.

Later these were issued as a DVD entitled ‘André Rieu on his way to New York’. The German TV station ZDF broadcast a musical special: ‘Meine Welt ist die Musik’, showing André in Tuscany, Venice, Vienna, Paris and Maastricht. This German musical special came out as a DVD later in the year with the title ‘Romance’. In March André Rieu and his orchestra toured through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and France, followed by a spring tour through America and Canada. As in previous years, once again André gave a number of summer evening concerts at the Vrijthof square in Maastricht. September saw André Rieu performing with the Harlem Gospel Choir at the Gelredome in Arnhem. A concert at the Efteling amusement park was broadcast in two parts on German and Dutch television. A reality TV show was made about the preparations for this special. In the autumn André Rieu visited Australia to promote his 2008 concerts, which brought on real Rieu mania: in October André became the first artist in history to have 9 DVDs in the top 10!

Next the double CD and DVD ‘In Wonderland’ was recorded in the Efteling amusement park. On 14 and 15 December André Rieu performed at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, the largest indoor stadium in the world, in a Viennese evening set in a reproduction of Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace. This was the kick-off for the big ‘World Stadium Tour: A Romantic Vienna Night’. 2008 The grand World Stadium Tour ‘A Romantic Vienna Night’ came to Europe too! With a set featuring a life-size replica of the imperial Schönbrunn Palace (the world’s biggest mobile stage) André Rieu and his Johan Strauss Orchestra performed together with more than 250 artists in Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Amsterdam, Paris and Brussels. The concerts were a great success. The concerts featured the Platinum Tenors, the Vienna State Opera Ballet, 80 Vienna Debutantes, the golden coach with the Empress Sisi and Emperor Franz-Joseph and the Vienna Figure Skating Association. In March André Rieu set a new record in Australia when the millionth item was sold. Australia is entirely under the spell of André Rieu.

On 7 April 2008 André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra received the golden Medal of Honour from Mayor Gerd Leers of Maastricht – the greatest distinction the city can offer. The autumn was all about Australia. Rieu broke record after record with sales of his CDs and especially DVDs. He was the most successful artist in 2007 and in 2008, with more than 2 million copies sold by the end of 2008. From mid November Rieu toured Australia with more than 500 people, taking the replica Schönbrunn Palace with them. Almost 300,000 people came to his concerts ‘down under’. The Melbourne concert, attended by more than 38,000, was broadcast live on Australian and Dutch television. The DVD ‘Live in Australia’ was released worldwide. 2008 was a top year for André Rieu and his orchestra. At the end of the year he was the only classical musician in the top ten of the Pollstar list – the important annual ranking of best-selling worldwide touring acts. The only artists above the King of Waltz were big names like Madonna and The Police.

2009 Following tradition, 2009 began with the successful New Year concerts in the Köln Arena, followed by a tour through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In March a Japanese tour was planned. For April, May and June, Rieu again did a tour of America and Canada for 24 concerts. At the end of 2009, Rieu did Australia, this time with an arena tour through all the big cities. By the end of January the tour was practically sold out. In the cities of Melbourne and Sydney there was the possibility of extra concerts. André turned 60 and became a grandfather no less than three times! He rose 2 places to number 6 in the Billboard Chart for best-selling tours worldwide. In America he was again the best-selling classical artist of the year. In December André performed alongside artists such as Lady Gaga & Michael Bublé for Queen Elizabeth II of England. 2010 Following the performance for the British queen, this year André also performed for the Dutch Queen Beatrix in the caves of Valkenburg. This was on the occasion of the 125-year anniversary of the Dutch tourist office organisation (VVV). In April, André conquered South Africa.

In spite of a difficult departure from Europe due to ‘volcanic ash’ it was a successful tour with concerts in Sun City, Durban and Cape Town. Also this year a soap opera was produced about the preparations from this South African tour; “André Rieu on the road to South Africa”. In January, André broke the 20 year old record set by Nigel Kennedy in England by being the first artist to reach no. 2 in the pop charts with a classical album. André preformed at the Classical BRIT Awards and an English tour is planned for September. As if this wasn’t enough, there are another 2 tours planned in the US and Canada this year, a tour in Australia and New Zealand, and he is giving no less than 8 concerts at the Vrijthof in Maastricht. On June 11 a TV special was made on the German ‘flower island’ Mainau. Although this year is only half over, André has already received a number of honours including a Multi Platinum Award in South Africa and the European culture prize (Medaille Charlemagne) for bringing so many people together. In august André is felled by a viral infection.

For the first time in his 32-year career he must cancel concerts due to illness. In November he resumes his tour with a concert in Antwerp followed by his first Mexico tour. 2011 In the first months André and the JSO give concert in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark. From the beginning of March they start to catch up the rescheduled concerts in South Africa, Ireland, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and 2 sold out stadium concerts in Amsterdam. André releases the DVD Fiesta Mexicana! – a documentary and concert of his 2010 Mexico tour. In July the book André Rieu: The person behind the phenomenon is released. It is made by Dutch top photographer Govert de Roos, who describes the book as “A journey of 1000 days with André Rieu”. In April André get's a phone call from Anthony Hopkins – The Academy Award-winning actor has written music for many years, but composed his latest piece “And The Waltz Goes On” with Rieu specifically in mind to perform it. Rieu was so enthusiastic about the work that he immediately set plans in motion to record it, moving Hopkins’ wife to tears during the initial performance of the tune.

“I’ve been a great admirer of André Rieu for several years. He’s a great musician. My wife and I had the same dream of meeting him one day, so I’ve send him some music that I wrote. It’s a dream come true for me that André performed it with his orchestra. I’m totally knocked out by the result. It’s even more than I expected!” says Anthony Hopkins about his cooperation with André Rieu. Sir Anthony Hopkins and his wife flew in a private jet to Maastricht to attend André's hometown concerts where he performed it for the first time for such a large crowd. Rieu included the waltz on his new DVD and album and performed it on his USA, Canada and Mexico tours in the fall. In september André started with the recordings for his new christmas special “Home for the Holidays” which was shown on German television in December. 2012 Tours in Germany, France and Denmark were caught up and in may André gave his first concerts in Brazil. Over 180.000 people visit his record breaking series of 30 sold-out concerts in Sao Paulo in May, June, July and September.

André & his orchestra appear on Domingão do Faustão; one of the biggest and longest running shows in Brazil. The episode with André had the best audience ratings since the start of the program 23 years ago. In June André gave his traditional hometown concerts, which were recorded and broadcasted in cinemas worldwide. In July André earns the No. 1 ranking in Billboard Magazine' Hot Tours chart before Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Cirque du Soleil, Van Halen and Nickelback. And in August 2012 Rieu tours South Africa for the third time. For the second year in a row André Rieu wins a Classic Brit Award. This time for his album 'And The Waltz Goes On'. He dedicated the award to Sir Antony Hopkins, who wrote the title track of the album. At the end of the year André gives a concert in Rotterdam and is one of the very first artists to play in the brand new venue 'Ziggo Dome' in Amsterdam. Rieu ends the year in style with a sold out UK and Ireland tour, including 2 concerts at London's The O2 Arena. 2013 2013 began in the traditional way with 2 concerts in Cologne, Germany.

In March, André toured throughout the USA and Canada, where Paul Anka attended one of the concerts and sang his biggest hit 'My Way' on stage with André. Five concerts in Rio de Janeiro followed. On April 30 2013 André gave a 'Coronation Concert' on Museum Square in Amsterdam in honor of the investiture of the new King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. Tens of thousands of cheering people attended the unique concert which was broadcast live on national television. Not much later the DVD and CD 'Rieu Royale' were released, which included André's 'Coronation Waltz' that he wrote especially for the occasion. André resumed his tour in May with concerts in Denmark and Austria. Followed by his first concerts on Argentine and Chilean soil. By the end of June The Vrijthof Square was once again the stunning backdrop for André's traditional summer concerts in his hometown Maastricht. Motown legend Jermaine Jackson, who already recorded several songs with André in March, joined André on stage where he sang an emotional rendition of 'Smile', one of the favorite songs of his late brother Michael.

Singer and guitarist Trini Lopez also flew in to Maastricht to attend the Maastricht concerts. Together with André he performed his world famous hits 'La Bamba' and 'If I had a Hammer', bringing the audience to its feet dancing, singing, clapping and cheering. After a short summer break the show goes on in September with tours throughout Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. October marks the start of André's weekly documentary series 'André Rieu: Welcome To My World'. The 10-part series documenting the world behind the scenes of André's concerts is broadcasted by Sky Arts. Also in October, André won the 'Album of the Year award' at the Classic BRITs - for the third year in a row. His album 'Magic of the Movies' beat competition from other nominees including Andrea Bocelli, Lang Lang and Nicola Benedetti. André gave his first ever concert in Turkey in November 2013. The sold out concert in Istanbul's Sinan Erdem Dome was an enormous success and André promised the audience that they would return as soon as possible. In December 14 sold out concerts followed through the UK & Ireland. 2014 January and February are two busy months.

André is giving a long series of concerts in Germany and France. Also, together with violinist Frank from his orchestra, he is composing three new numbers for the soundtrack of the film 'Tuscan Wedding'. The film is having its premiere in the beautiful Tuschinski theatre in Amsterdam. In April, André travels to Asia, where he performs for the first time in Taiwan and China. He is also giving a concert in Singapore. Clearly: the Asians are crazy about André! In May the concert agenda is again chock-full: André and the Johann Strauss Orchestra are touring through the Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary. Among other places, they are playing in his favourite city of Vienna. A romantic city with a rich history and also of course the city of the Viennese Waltz. A month later it is the turn of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. In Estonia, Ott Lepland, who is representing his country at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, is singing his greatest hit 'Kuula'. In Riga, André is surprised by a large group of children from Russia.

The children are officering him a book with illustrations of paintings, made while listening to André's music. In June, the album 'Magic of the Musicals' is also appearing, together with the Johann Strauss Orchestra. In line with tradition, July is seeing the well-known Vrijthof concerts. The concerts in his home city of Maastricht are always very special. The first five concerts are already sold out in January. André is deciding to give three extra concerts. The show of 19 July is seen live in various cinemas in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe, and later on also in Australia and New Zealand. After a well-earned holiday, October is seeing the start of his successful tour through bustling Brazil. During the concerts in Sao Paulo, is an exhibition of the works of art painter and son Marc Rieu. Together with his entire orchestra, staff and also the mayor of Maastricht, André is celebrating his 65th birthday in his studio in Maastricht. In November, André is giving a few concerts in the Netherlands, Belgium and Turkey. In the same month, the first three Vrijthof concerts of the coming year (2015) are already sold out.

Due to the worldwide interest, three extra concerts are planned. In December, André is closing an unprecedented year with a series of concerts in Ireland and the United Kingdom. 2015 2015 has got off to a flying start. In January and February, André gives a series of concerts in Germany and Austria. In March a series of concerts in France is planned. Besides hard work, there is also thankfully time for a delicious glass of bubbles in Epernay, the capital of Champagne country. Then in May, different countries are on the concert agenda: Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland. In June, André tours through Romania with the Johann Strauss Orchestra. Within fifteen hours a record 33,000 tickets are sold out! During his tour, André makes five thousands tickets available for a symbolic amount. The revenue is donated to UNICEF and the Save the Children Fund. André has a warm heart for children. In July it is time for the famous Vrijthof concerts. Cosy summer evening concerts full of beautiful music, special guests and a fireworks show. This year too presents a grand spectacle.

In August, the warm and enthusiastic audiences in Chile and Peru enjoy the performances of André and his Johann Strauss Orchestra to the full. The South Americans love a party! During his visit to beautiful Rome at the end of September, he receives the 'Jubilee Award', thanks to the gigantic sales of 35 million CDs and DVDs. While in Rome, his new album 'Roman Holiday' is announced. A brand new CD full of well-known Italian melodies, such as 'Mattinata' and of course 'Arrivederci Roma'. October is also a busy, but cosy month. André tours through Mexico. Apart from the concerts, there is also another (literal) peak: an excursion to Teotihuacan, the oldest city with two world-famous pyramids. André rounds off 2015 with different concerts in Europe. During the last months of this calendar year, people in, among other places, the UK, France, South Africa, Canada and the United States may (again) enjoy the cosy Vrijthof concerts in various cinemas. The cinema-goers are also treated to an exclusive interview by the English journalist Charlotte Hawkins. She interviews André immediately after his concert.

Andre Rieu & 3 year old violinist, Akim Camara 2005 - YouTube Andre Rieu & 3 year old violinist, Akim Camara 2005 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Oct 14, 2008 Andre Rieu introduces 3yr old violinist, Akim Camara, during his 'Flying Dutchman Concert' at Parkstad Stadium in the Nederlands (2004). Akim (born 27 October 2001 in Berlin-Marzahn) plays Concerto G Major op.11 with the Johan Strauss Orchestra. NEWS:- Akim Camara now has his own channel on YouTube. I recommend you go to his channel and see more recent performances by this talented young man. Category Andre Rieu Ethnicity - Andre Rieu Net Worth Andre Rieu Ethnicity Read more... Andre Rieu Andre Rieu Net Worth is $40 Million.

Andre Rieu Nickname is Andre Rieu, Andri Rieu, Andr? L?on Marie Nicolas Rieu, Rieu, Andr?. Andre Rieu is Conductor, Violinist, Entrepreneur. Andre Rieu Nationality is Netherlands. Andre Rieu Date of Birth is 1949-10-01. Andre Rieu Place of Bir... Andre Rieu Net Worth is $40 Million. Andre Rieu Net Worth is $40 Million. Andre Rieu Nickname is Andre Rieu, Andri Rieu, Andr? L?on Marie Nicolas Rieu, Rieu, Andr?. Andre Rieu is Conductor, Violinist, Entrepreneur. Andre Rieu Nationality is Netherlands. Andre Rieu Date of Birth is 1949-10-01. Andre Rieu Place of Birth is Maastricht. Andr? L?on Marie Nicolas Rieu is a Dutch violinist and conductor best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra. Andr? Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra have turned classical and waltz music into a worldwide concert touring music act, as successful as some of the biggest global pop and rock music acts.

The name Rieu is of French Huguenot origin. He began studying violin at the age of five. His father, of the same name, was conductor of the Maastricht Symphony Orchestra. From a very young age he developed a fascination with orchestra. He studied violin at the Conservatoire Royal in Li??ge and at the Conservatorium Maastricht, . His teachers included Jo Juda and Herman Krebbers. From 1974 to 1977, he attended the Music Academy in Brussels, studying with Andr? Gertler, finally receiving his degree "Premier Prix" from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. At University he performed the Gold And Silver ... Biography – André Rieu Press Room 1949 1949 André is born under the sign of Libra as his parents’ third child. His parents and their two young daughters had moved from Amsterdam to Maastricht shortly before. (André later got two brothers and another sister). To the present day, André Rieu has been at home in the beautiful capital of the Dutch Province of Limburg, namely in Maastricht.

1954 1954 André, his brothers and sisters grow up exclusively with classical music: symphonies, chamber music and opera. Encouraged by his father, a professional conductor, André starts taking violin lessons at the age of five. A.R.:“I had great difficulty concentrating at the start. That was because my violin teacher was so beautiful and so blonde that I fell in love with her and stared at her all the time, instead of listening to her instructions!” 1967 1967 After leaving grammar school, the talented young man first continues his musical training on the violin at the conservatoire in Liège and later in Maastricht (until 1973). His teachers are Jo Juda and Herman Krebbers. 1987 1987 André recruits his Johann Strauss Orchestra. A.R.:”At that time, we rehearsed for 6 months before getting started. There were just twelve musicians in the beginning. Today, there are 43, and sometimes even 50 on very large stages. “In the same year, the new orchestra leader and his wife found the André Rieu Productions company.

1988 1988 New Year’s Day is the big moment: André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra give their first public concert. This is soon followed by brief tours, also through the Benelux countries and the Federal Republic of Germany. 1994 1994 The “From Holland with Love” album is released in the Netherlands and something happened that no one would have thought possible: it triggers a waltz wave and the definitive breakthrough for André. One of the pieces on it is the “Second Waltz”, a beautiful, melancholy waltz. The piece is originally called ‘Waltz No. 2 from Jazz Suite No. 2’ by Dmitry Shostakovich, but it would probably never have been a hit with a title like that. Marjorie came up with… 1995 1995 At an international football match in Amsterdam stadium, André fills the half-time interval with the “Second Waltz”. The fans in the stands sway in time with the music and hum along enthusiastically, as do the TV viewers. While Ajax eventually wins the match against Bayern München, André Rieu gains thousands of new followers.

After an initial concert in Hamburg’s Musikhalle and several television appearances, the “From Holland with Love” album is also released in Germany, where it instantly heads for… 1996 1996 André Rieu is dubbed the “Modern King of Waltz” by the media and next launches the “The Vienna I love” and the live “In Concert” albums on the European music market. Again, he can assert himself in the charts in many countries, even against international pop icons like Madonna, for example. Also in 1996, André Rieu received the World Music Award in Monte Carlo. 1997 1997 André Rieu has little time for his private life and family, as he is permanently on the road with the Johann Strauss Orchestra. An extensive concert tour takes the charming orchestra leader and his musicians across half of Europe. Still, he takes the time to record “The Christmas I love”. 1998 1998 On the “Romantic Moments” album, André puts the emphasis on dreamy, romantic melodies. The tone is set by the “Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet”.

In addition, André Rieu this time comes up with classical pieces, such as the “Etude op.10” by Chopin, Mozart’s “Adagio” and the melancholy “Far From Home Largo” from the From the New World symphony by Antonín Dvorák. 1999 1999 To mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Johann Strauss (3 June), André Rieu brings out the “100 Years of Strauss” album. Finally, André and his orchestra take their leave of the millennium with the CD entitled “Celebration”. 2000 2000 André releases “La vie est belle”. “Composing is something I’ve really been doing all my life. As a child, I tried to invent pretty melodies, first for the violin and then also for the piano. This is the first time that I’ve released a waltz on CD that I composed together with my brother, Jean-Philippe: La vie est belle!” says André Rieu. 2001 2001 First tour in Japan. Construction of André’s own recording studio – allowing him to produce CDs, DVDs and Television-specials.

The first product made in his own studio, ‘Dreaming’, proves a great success. 2002 2002 André’s son Pierre joins the business, with responsibility for all technical production aspects of the concerts and recordings. The second product from André’s studio “Walzertraum” is issued in 7 versions all over the world! 2003 2003 The tour in Japan is extended to include 17 concerts in 11 different Japanese cities. As André is celebrating 25 years on the stage, an anniversary CD is released in the autumn: Romantic Paradise. To include his fans in the celebrations, André makes Romantic Paradise into a double CD, one of the two CDs being a gift. The CDs are enormously successful. The Romantic Paradise Special is recorded in Tuscany, Italy. André invites his fans to come from all over… 2004 2004 Early in 2004 the Romantic Paradise Special is nominated for the Rose d’or. In July, André gives a spectacular concert for an audience of 18,000 in the Parkstad Limburg Stadium in Kerkrade.

This performance results in a CD and a DVD: The Flying Dutchman. 2005 2005 After the traditional New Year’s Day concert in the Cologne Arena on 1 January and a successful winter tour of Germany, Austria and France, in the spring of 2005 the ‘Flying Dutchman’ flies with his orchestra to the USA and Canada for an extensive tour of 19 concerts. After another successful tour, André shakes his home town of Maastricht to its foundations with three fabulous summer concerts on the Vrijthof Square. A CD and DVD of these concerts will be… 2006 2006 The year 2006 began in the traditional way with winter tours in Germany and France. In April and May André tours through 25 cities across the USA and Canada. In July the brand-new André Rieu office opened in New York and André recorded a fabulous TV-special on the square in front of Schönbrunn Palace; it turned out to be the biggest production ever undertaken within the André Rieu concern.

Within a week André was waltzing his home town of Maastricht… 2007 2007 A report of the 2006 American tour was broadcast on Dutch television as a series of six programmes from January. Later these were issued as a DVD entitled ‘André Rieu on his way to New York’. In March André Rieu and his orchestra toured through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and France, followed by a spring tour through America and Canada. As in previous years, once again André gave a number of summer evening concerts at the Vrijthof square in Maastricht…. 2008 2008 The grand World Stadium Tour ‘A Romantic Vienna Night’ came to Europe too! With a set featuring a life-size replica of the imperial Schönbrunn Palace (the world’s biggest mobile stage) André Rieu and his Johan Strauss Orchestra performed together with more than 250 artists in Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Amsterdam, Paris and Brussels. The concerts were a great success.

The concerts featured the Platinum Tenors, the Vienna State Opera Ballet, 80 Vienna Debutantes, the golden coach with the Empress Sisi and Emperor… 2009 2009 Following tradition, 2009 began with the successful New Year concerts in the Köln Arena, followed by a tour through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In March a Japanese tour was planned. For April, May and June, Rieu again did a tour of America and Canada for 24 concerts. At the end of 2009, Rieu did Australia, this time with an arena tour through all the big cities. By the end of January the tour was practically sold out. In the cities… 2010 2010 Following the performance for the British queen, this year André also performed for the Dutch Queen Beatrix in the caves of Valkenburg. This was on the occasion of the 125-year anniversary of the Dutch tourist office organization (VVV). In April, André conquered South Africa. In spite of a difficult departure from Europe due to ‘volcanic ash’ it was a successful tour with concerts in Sun City, Durban and Cape Town.

Also this year a soap opera was produced about the… 2011 2011 In the first months André and the JSO give concert in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark. From the beginning of March they start to catch up the rescheduled concerts in South Africa, Ireland, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and 2 sold out stadium concerts in Amsterdam. André releases the DVD Fiesta Mexicana! – a documentary and concert of his 2010 Mexico tour. In July the book André Rieu: The person behind the phenomenon is released. It is made by Dutch top… 2012 2012 Tours in Germany, France and Denmark were caught up and in may André gave his first concerts in Brazil. Over 180.000 people visit his record breaking series of 30 sold-out concerts in Sao Paulo in May, June, July and September. André & his orchestra appear on Domingão do Faustão; one of the biggest and longest running shows in Brazil. The episode with André had the best audience ratings since the start of the program 23 years ago.

In June André… 2013 2013 2013 began in the traditional way with 2 concerts in Cologne, Germany. In March, André toured throughout the USA and Canada, where Paul Anka attended one of the concerts and sang his biggest hit ‘My Way’ on stage with André. Five concerts in Rio de Janeiro followed. On April 30 2013 André gave a ‘Coronation Concert’ on Museum Square in Amsterdam in honor of the investiture of the new King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. Tens of… 2014 2014 January and February are two busy months. André is giving a long series of concerts in Germany and France. Also, together with violinist Frank from his orchestra, he is composing three new numbers for the soundtrack of the film ‘Tuscan Wedding’. The film is having its premiere in the beautiful Tuschinski theatre in Amsterdam. In April, André travels to Asia, where he performs for the first time in Taiwan and China. He is also giving a concert in Singapore.

Clearly:… Andre Rieu: He's the 63-year-old violinist who (for ladies of a certain age) is bigger than Robbie Williams and One Direction put together | Daily Mail Online comments I have never wept – openly, noisily, wetly – at a music concert before. I have screamed at David Cassidy. I have danced at Michael Jackson. I’ve gone weak at the knees at Simple Minds. My face has been wetted when I found myself in the front row at a Prince gig (it was his sweat). But never this. What is happening? A few days before Christmas I find myself, at the soulless O2 arena, of all places, with heaving shoulders – for all the world as if I were Tommy Cooper himself. To top it all, suddenly I want my mum! I’m in the stalls, and all around are doppelgangers of my 92-year-old mummy: neat, pin curls, blow-dry-and-sets on tiny heads. It’s a sea of bobbing silver, with strings of pearls slapping on desiccated decolletages.

The lucky ones have matching, white-haired husbands whom they clutch with speckled hands before old lips touch in a parched peck. They are all standing, even those with hip replacements, some leaning on crutches. They don’t want the evening to end. When it does, after surely the longest encore in history – eight pieces of music, including Amazing Grace and We’ll Meet Again – they pull on too-thin macs, and gloves, and begin the long walk to the Tube. Andre and Liz Jones waltzing back at the Langham hotel after his electric performance I worry they are out so late, returning to cold homes as they would never have indulged in the luxury of leaving the heating on. But it’s of no matter. Every face is shining, covered in fake snow, every one of the 50,000 clutching a balloon and a new memory. Because this is a concert by violinist Andre Rieu and his Johann Strauss orchestra, on the last leg of a sellout world tour. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share And in the post-post-menopausal world he is bigger than Robbie Williams, One Direction and Beyonce put together.

Backstage, Andre Rieu is an unlikely music star: slightly too-long, curly hair swept back in a sub-Einstein coiff. He is 63, Dutch, and happily married to his childhood sweetheart, Marjorie, with two grown-up sons, one of whom, the dashing 31-year-old Pierre, looks after the production side of performances. The only thing starry about Andre is the fact that he lives in a restored castle on the edge of Maastricht, where the real D’Artagnan was said to have eaten his last breakfast before he died in battle. Before the show, Andre sits, not in a dressing room with a bouncer outside, a la Gary Barlow, but in the canteen with his orchestra – he has 120 on the payroll, many from his home town. The youngest is 25 and the oldest is 73-year-old bass player Jean. Andre is commendably democratic, putting up even the lowliest member of the crew (the man with the triangle?) at his five-star hotel, the Langham on Portland Place. At first, though, I just don’t get it.

Why dress all the female musicians – more than half the 50-strong orchestra – and singers in brightly coloured taffeta ballgowns (he oversees every myopic detail, and has been known to yell ‘More low-cut!’ as his cellists take their seats)? The violinist, conductor and composer with his Johann Strauss Orchestra on one of his 120 date tours at the o2 arena Swooning fans have been swept of their feet by the musician, who has become a with both a younger and older audience And why perform ‘hooked on classics’ numbers such as Bolero? He has performed on Strictly since then – he insisted on taking his entire orchestra – but his popularity here can’t all be down to the surge in ballroom dancing and old-fashioned tunes, surely... But as I wander among the audience before curtain-up, I find out exactly why. The adoration is incredible, especially since Andre and his orchestra, which he formed 25 years ago, have been well known in the UK only since 2009 – a Royal Variety performance having sent him into the grannysphere.

‘Ooooh no,’ says Hazel Griffith, who is 77 and from Portsmouth, here with her rather giggly sister, Valerie, who is 69 and from Essex. ‘I love the music, of course, and I like him because he is charming, and fascinating, but I also bet he’s a bit of a bugger underneath!’ Bugger in what way? I ask, innocently. ‘Not difficult, but naughty!’ and she digs me in the ribs. These two have both been married since they were 19, and are with their husbands, who bought the tickets a year ago for £89.25 each. ‘I’ve got all the videos and CDs,’ adds Hazel. ‘That last one was £12.99!’ They've been here since 4.30pm, as they were worried about missing the start. They show me their seats. ‘They are right at the back,’ says Valerie. ‘But never mind. I just wish I’d brought me glasses.’ I meet Sylvia Graucob – ‘I married a Dane! He’s dead now’ – from Jersey, here with her friend Patricia, whose husband is ‘still clinging on’ (cue much laughter).

They won’t tell me their ages, but their vintage is clear as they describe Andre as ‘a showman, very dishy, and gay’ without the post-war meaning of that last word. ‘I might even waltz,’ adds Sylvia, ‘despite the fact I’ve had two hips and a knee replaced, and have a dodgy pacemaker!’ And they both laugh enough to possibly give each other a heart attack. Andre has a global fanbase There is a smattering of younger fans, mostly with their parents, such as Rachel Kirk, a 24-year-old doctor, and her brother, Alex, 23, a visual effects artist, here with their mum, Ingrid, who is also from Holland and loves Andre dearly. ‘I understand why these women love him,’ says Alex. ‘It’s about joy, being part of the performance, it’s accessible. Andre understands classical music was never meant to be stuffy.’ But the young ’uns, as Valerie calls them, are in the minority. Right at the front is Mary Ford, who is 65, with a face turning as pink as her sweater. Next to her is her husband, Terry, a 68-year-old semi-retired lawyer.

They have come here from Essex, and despite Terry sitting right next to her, Mary says: ‘Andre makes me have so many lovely feelings. He should run the Government, you know, the watch-er-mer-call-it.’ ‘It’s his eyes she’s fallen in love with,’ explains Terry. ‘She likes the fact he twinkles.’ It turns out Mary’s mother, who is 87, is Andre’s biggest fan. ‘We just watched his Christmas concert together on Sky Arts, and he gave my mum such a feeling of contentment. She has dementia, but she sings along. He brings out the best in her.’ Andre’s fans all spend a vast amount of their pensions on him, sending all four albums not just to No 1 on the classical chart but to Nos 2, 4, 7 and 2 on the pop charts: the most recent No 2 slot was in November for Magic Of The Movies. His current DVD, Home For Christmas, went straight to No 1. In 2013, Andre and his orchestra aim to conquer Australia, Canada, Japan and South America – three planned shows at Sao Paulo this year turned into 15 – before returning to the UK.

Does he never think of retirement? On the giant tour bus back to the Langham (one of two appliqued with his visage; only the 1667 Stradivarius has its own car) Pierre tells me his father has more energy than he does, but that his drive for perfectionism and the responsibility for having so many people to support are ‘what made him ill’. He was ill? When? Unlike all the much younger performers these days, notably Adele, he has never missed a concert date. Does Pierre not think he is booking his poor old dad into too many venues? ‘No! He always looks at the schedule and says, “That is not enough!” He wills himself not to have jet-lag.’ Andre, next to me, insists he is super-healthy but that ‘the worry of breaking a finger is always present’. Andre’s screensaver on his phone is a picture of Pierre’s three-year-old twin girls, both wielding tiny violins. Pierre gave up the violin at a young age, not having the patience, having cracked his brother over the head with an instrument in frustration. That brother, Marc, now 34, is an artist, ‘thank goodness’, says Pierre.

I get the idea Marc is not a part of a family business that must be worth hundreds of millions (you can even buy an Andre Rieu advent calendar, and an Andre Rieu tie). I ask Andre if he thinks of retirement. ‘I will go on like this, travelling the world, for the rest of my life.’ Andre has a rule that no crew arrive to dismantle the stage until the last fan has left the building, as he does not want to break the spell of the performance Andre and his orchestra, which he formed 25 years ago, have been well known in the UK only since 2009 ¿ a Royal Variety performance having sent him into the grannysphere I wonder, given the timetable – almost a different city every night – whether he still has to practise? ‘Off course!’he says in his accented English. For how many hours? ‘Maybe not six or seven, but four or five. IfI did not practise, you would be able to hear the difference.’ And herein lies the nub: he and his orchestra are world class. The soprano who delivers Casta Diva, a singer called Carmen Monarcha, has a voice worthy of Maria Callas.

Andre’s father was a conductor, and Andre took up the violin aged five. Why not the piano, say? ‘The violin is more, ’ow you say [I think he does the accent deliberately, given that he’s fluent in six languages] ro-man-tic.’ Because the orchestra members are all so good musically, they can afford to muck about with slapstick on stage: the man playing the zither for the theme from The Third Man pretends to fall asleep at one stage. ‘I was a member of a traditional orchestra,’ says Andre, ‘but I didn’t understand why no one had any fun on stage. Which is why I formed my own, which was not easy. I conduct in the way Strauss himself conducted: playing the violin.’ Pierre adds: ‘The classical music world is so snobbish. People shush you if you cough, or clap in the wrong place.’ He is well and truly catnip to thousands of women who have only a feline to love Does the audience for Andre vary from country to country? ‘Oh yes,’ says Pierre. ‘In most countries, especially the UK, the audience continues to clap until the last member of the orchestra is seated. In Glasgow, they are very educated.

In France, they stop after the first few. They can be a little rude.’ Does Andre mind being a sex symbol for the silver-haired brigade? ‘In America, the audience is much younger, 14 to 20,’ he says. ‘And yes, I do get rather large knickers thrown on stage – they are like a flag!’ These comments aside, do not think for a moment he is disrespecting his older fans. He connects with them in such a visceral way that he describes his concerts as a ‘spiritual occasion’. ‘Music heals,’ he adds. ‘We have a lot of experience that people come in a wheelchair and during the encores they stand up and walk away. Doctors say to me, “I’m in hospital helping these people and you come with your DVD and they don’t need me!” I get letters every day, I hear it all the time. They leave feeling happier.

Their faces are shining.’ (Andre has one more rule: no crew arrive to dismantle the stage until the last fan has left the building: ‘We don’t want to break ze spell.’) On stage – in his black-tie finery and a veneer of fake tan, with his Stradivarius beneath his chin and an eyebrow coquettishly raised – there is much good-natured teasing of audience members as they shuffle back late to their seats after the interval, putting on their glasses to peer at their seat numbers. He is well and truly catnip to thousands of women who perhaps have only a feline to love. But it’s the moment after the first few bars of The Blue Danube that the scene suddenly moves me, and I finally get what Andre Rieu is all about. All around the auditorium, people are getting up, clutching their husbands or, more often, the woman who has been their best friend since school, and they are in the aisles waltzing. They forget about the timer for the heating, their pension, their losses and the prospect of a care home and they lose themselves in twirling. It’s truly magical.

As Andre holds me in a waltz back at the hotel after the show, I ask if he really is a bugger underneath. ‘Off course! I am naughty. My fans might be a little older, but they are not dead, yes?’ lAndre Rieu’s albums Magic Of The Movies and Christmas Lights, and DVD Home For Christmas, are out now on Decca. André Rieu - YouTube André Rieu The next video is starting stop André Rieu - The Second Waltz (Shostakovich) 22,711,748 views 4 years ago André Rieu performing Shostakovich' "The Second Waltz" live in Maastricht, The Netherlands. For concert dates and tickets visit: Top 10 best viewed videos 3:08 4 years ago 22,006,216 views André Rieu & The Johann Strauss Orchestra performing "Ballade pour Adeline" live in Vienna. Taken from André Rieu's breathtaking live spectacle on DVD and Blu-ray "André Rieu - And the waltz goes o...

4:10 4 years ago 22,711,748 views André Rieu performing Shostakovich' "The Second Waltz" live in Maastricht, The Netherlands. For concert dates and tickets visit: 5 years ago 18,168,454 views André Rieu & his Johann Strauss Orchestra playing "The Beautiful Blue Danube" (An der schönen blauen Donau) by composer Johann Strauss II. Recorded live at Empress Sisi's castle; Schönbrunn Palace ... 6:57 André Rieu & the Johann Strauss Orchestra performing Ravel's Boléro live in Maastricht. Taken from the DVD/Blu-Ray "André Rieu - Under the Stars - Live in Maastricht 5." For tour dates visit: http... 6:27 Play next Play now 4 years ago 13,363,192 views André Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra performing "And The Waltz Goes On" in Maastricht. A Waltz composed by Sir Anthony Hopkins. Taken from "André Rieu - Under the Stars. Live in Maastricht 5."...

5:30 Play next Play now 4 years ago 10,949,317 views André Rieu performing Frank Sinatra's My Way. Taken from the DVD "André Rieu - New York Memories- Live at Radio City Music Hall". For concert dates and tickets visit: http... 3 years ago 9,645,715 views André Rieu, Mirusia and The Johann Strauss Orchestra performing Ave Maria live in Maastricht. Taken from the DVD "André Rieu Live in Maastricht 4, A Midsummer Night's Dream". For concert dates and... 3 years ago 7,679,319 views André Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra performing the Main Title Theme from The Godfather movie live in Cortona, Italy. Taken from the DVD Romantic Paradise. For concert dates and tickets visi... 2:47 4 years ago 6,235,918 views André Rieu, Mirusia & his Johann Strauss Orchestra performing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (Mary Poppins) live in Maastricht.

Taken from "André Rieu - Under the Stars - Live in Maastricht 5."... 4:38 3 years ago 6,695,019 views André Rieu, over 500 brass players & the Johann Strauss Orchestra performing Nearer, my God, to Thee live in Amsterdam. Taken from the DVD "André Rieu Gala-Live in de Arena" (Dutch release), availa... Show more André Rieu - The Second Waltz (Shostakovich) - Duration: 4 minutes, 10 seconds. 22,711,748 views André Rieu - Ballade pour Adeline - Duration: 3 minutes, 8 seconds. 22,006,216 views André Rieu - The Beautiful Blue Danube - Duration: 8 minutes, 14 seconds. 18,168,454 views André Rieu - Boléro (Ravel) - Duration: 6 minutes, 57 seconds.

17,402,680 views Play next Play now Play next Play now André Rieu - I Will Follow Him - Duration: 4 minutes, 19 seconds. 7,095,834 views André Rieu - You'll Never Walk Alone - Duration: 5 minutes, 2 seconds. 6,602,910 views André Rieu - Zorba's Dance (Sirtaki) - Duration: 2 minutes, 58 seconds. 6,459,619 views Play next Play now Play next Play now Official videos of André Rieu's Maastricht concerts 4:10 Play next Play now Play next Play now Play next Play now André Rieu Christmas songs, taken from the DVD André Rieu - Home for Christmas. 3:44 Official videos of André Rieu's DVD 'Live in Vienna' 4:27 1 year ago 106,498 views André Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra performing Morgenblatter live in front of Hofburg Palace, Vienna. Taken from the DVD André Rieu Live in Vienna. For concert dates and tickets visit: http...

3:32 2 years ago 35,432 views André Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra performing Wien du stadt meiner traume live in front of Hofburg Palace. Taken from the DVD André Rieu - Live in Vienna. For concert dates and tickets vis... 7:21 1 year ago 191,836 views André Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra performing Gold & Silber in front of Hofburg Palace, Vienna. Taken from the DVD André Rieu Live in Vienna. Available at: For conc... 8 years ago 1,664,680 views André Rieu Live in Vienna: a romantic midsummer night concert on the square in front of the imperial Hofburg Palace in the heart of Vienna. It includes superb compositions from the most famous Vien... Show more

Question: What nationality is violinist Andre Rieu?
Answer: DUTCH