Andre Rieu
Andre Rieu
André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieuis a Dutch violinist and conductor best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra. Together they have turned classical and waltz music into a worldwide concert touring act, as successful as some of the biggest global pop and rock music acts. For his work, Rieu has been awarded such honours as the Order of the Netherlands Lion by the Netherlands, the Knight of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France, and the Honorary...
NationalityDutch
ProfessionComposer
Date of Birth1 October 1949
CityMaastricht, Netherlands
I know that when I like music, when it touches my heart, that it will touch your heart, too. That, I think, is the secret to my success.
The classical music world is so snobbish.
I love reading but I never last very long because I fall asleep right away.
I admire Johann Strauss a lot. I believe he was a genius of his time.
The waltz can be sad and at the same time uplifting. You have to see life from both sides, and the waltz encapsulates that. If you're in my audience you give yourself to me and the waltz will grab you.
I was the black sheep of the family, and my mother never really understood me.
I believe that music in itself heals and that everything is about the power of the mind. I thought if you are happy, you don't get ill. Your health is in your head. When you are satisfied with your work, you don't get ill.
The waltz is a very important part of my life. It's a very important way for me to express my positiveness, bringing humor to the world.
I am a showman in the traditional sense, but modern, too. I like to use sets and lighting to create magic.
Critics or musicians who attack me are jealous of my success and the fact that I make people feel so happy.
Contrary to popular opinion, classical music does not have to be enjoyed amid exclusive circles, there need not be any snobbishness attached to it. It's there for everyone. I play for the people.
I make music to touch the souls of people as it's a language we all can speak.
I was a fat child and loved cake, perhaps because it was the only sweet thing in my life.
It is a real piece of art if you can make a waltz sound like it is the easiest piece of music to play, because it's really not.