André Rieu

André Rieu

André Rieu is a Dutch violinist, conductor and orchestra leader from Maastricht, Netherlands, born in 1949. He comes from a musical family: his father is a conductor, and he begins studying violin at the age of five.

Training and early work

Rieu studies at the Conservatoire Royal in Liège and at the Conservatorium Maastricht between 1968 and 1973, with teachers including Jo Juda and Herman Krebbers. He then attends the Music Academy in Brussels from 1974 to 1977, studying with André Gertler and winning the academy’s Premier Prix. While at university, he performs Franz Lehár’s Gold and Silver Waltz, and the audience response leads him towards the waltz as a central part of his work.

Orchestras and performance style

He forms the Maastricht Salon Orchestra and performs as a violinist with the Limburg Symphony Orchestra. In 1987, he creates the Johann Strauss Orchestra and his own production company. The orchestra begins with 12 members and later performs with between 40 and 50 musicians. Rieu’s stage presentations become closely associated with a revival of waltz music, and he is often referred to as the “waltz king.”

Repertoire, recordings and instruments

Rieu records DVDs and CDs at his own studios in Maastricht. His repertoire covers classical music, popular and folk music, music from soundtracks, and theatre musicals. He plays a 1667 Stradivarius violin. He also records and performs material drawn from well-known film and stage repertoire.

International reach and broadcasts

Rieu and his orchestra perform across Europe, North America and Japan. Their recordings achieve gold and platinum status in several countries, including eight-times platinum in the Netherlands, and they receive two World Music Awards. Some performances are broadcast on PBS in the United Kingdom and the United States, including Andre Rieu Live in Dublin and André Rieu Live in Tuscany.

Other appearances and collaborations

In 2009, Rieu appears as himself in the Australian soap opera Neighbours. He is married to Marjorie, who works as his full-time production manager, and they have two sons, Marc and Pierre. He also works with his brother Jean Philippe for several years, before Jean Philippe starts his own production company.