ANDRE RIEU

André Rieu

Violinist who has achieved worldwide fame with waltz music.
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1976   The Walkers
1986   Rob Peters (2)
1987   Beppie Kraft
1988   Tom Peters
2005   Benny Neyman
2014   André van Duin
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Biography André Rieu

Violinist who has achieved worldwide fame with waltz music.

1949 - 1977

André is born into a musical family. His father is conductor of the Leipzig Opera and the Symphony Orchestra of Limburg. At the age of five André learns to play the violin.

Limburgs Symfonie Orkest

1978

Rieu and four friends form the Maastricht Salon Orchestra.

1981

The Maastricht Salon Orchestra releases its first album called Rendez-Vous, followed in 1983 by Salut d'Amour.

1984

The albums Serenata (1984) and La Belle Epoque (1985) are released.

1987

The Orchestra's fifth album, Eine Kleine Salonmusik, comes out. Rieu also forms the Johann Strauss Orchestra.

1989 - 1993

The Johann Strauss Orchestra releases several albums: The Hieringe Biete 1, Strauss Gala (1990), Vrijthofconcert (1991), D'n Blauwen Aovond (1992) and Merry Christmas (1992). Rieu tours through Europe and his shows become increasingly popular.

1994

Rieu's big break comes with the release of the album Strauss & Co., which manages to stay in the album charts for 83 weeks. Rieu is crowned the King of Waltz. The Merry Christmas album is re-released and the single The Second Waltz reaches to number 4 in the charts.

1995

Six of Rieu's CD's are in the album charts and he has 2 hit singles. One of his shows is broadcast live on Dutch television. The album Strauss & Co. becomes platinum not only in The Netherlands (8 times), but also in Germany, Belgium (2), France (2), Switzerland and Spain.

1996

The album In Concert reaches the number 3 spot in the album charts. Rieu goes on a very successful European tour.

1997

Rieu goes on tour in the US The Christmas album Stille Nacht ('Silent Night') reaches number 10 in the album charts.

1998

With the release of his new CD Romantic Moments, Rieu changes his musical course. The album reaches number 19 in the album charts.

1999

In January Rieu is awarded a World Music Award in Monte Carlo. In December he goes on a large-scale Millennium tour, which takes him to North and South America and Europe. The album Fiësta is released.

2000

For the first time in his career André Rieu has included his own compositions on one of his albums (La Vie Est Belle).

2002

In August Rieu and his brother Jean-Philippe finish recordings of the album Tour d'Amour, which comes out in October. He and his orchestra play their first concert of the season in Kaiserslautern August 19. On August 25 performs at the charity concert for the victims of the floods in Germany. In September the orchestra tours Germany and in October the band travels around the world to shoot some footage for a TV special. Late October they tourJapan. In November they do several TV shows and on December 6 Rieu and his orchestra play the Color Line Arena in Hamburg. This show is broadcast on German TV on New Year's Eve.

2003

André Rieu and his orchestra play two New Year's Eve shows in Cologne, Germany. On January 17 they perform at the French version of Top of the Pops. The German tour his interrupted for a trip to New York. Rieu visits Ground Zero and on 1 February he performs his composition Lost Heroes live in the CBS Early Show. The Lost Heroes was especially composed for the victims and the rescue workers of the 9/11 attacks. The lyrics were written by André's wife Marjorie and sung by Dutch soprano Kelly God. The German tour is continued and followed by a tour of Belgium, Ireland and France. The proceeds of the single Please Don't Go go to the victims of the war in Iraq.

2004

After ending a German tour in March, Rieu plays a series of concerts in France. On September 11 he gives an open-air concert in Italian town Cortona, at the Stadio di Cortona. Early October he embarks on an Asian tour, featuring a one-off in South Korea's capital Seoul, but mainly emphasising on Japan. On November 2 the tour ends in Tokyo. The Flying Dutchman is a live CD and DVD of the summer concert (2004) in the Parkstad Limburg stadium (Kerkrade, NL). Again Rieu performs live on German TV on New Year's Eve.

2005

He kicks off the year with another big German tour. On July 9 Rieu again plays a mid summer night concert at the Vrijthof square in his hometown, old Roman city Maastricht. The DVD Songs From My Heart contains concerts broadcast by Dutch and German public TV.

Benny Neyman

2006

The violin player kicks off his first US tour in late April in Florida. The tour ends in the Radio City Music Hal, New York. Back in Europe Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra perform two nights July 7 and 8) at the Open Air Gala Concert at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. The concerts are part of the André Rieu Eurovision summer special. After the Vienna shows (which are also released on DVD), there are three midsummer night concerts in Maastricht, a show in the Radio City Music Hall in New York (July 29) and shows in Japan. Part of the show that was played in the Radio City Music Hall, is released on the album New York Memories. Part of the show will also be released on DVD.

2007

A report of the first US tour is broadcast on Dutch TV. The show in the Radio City Music Hall is also shown on TV in February and March. German network ZDF broadcasts the show Meine Welt ist die Musik which shows André Rieu in Toscany, Venice, Vienna, Paris and Maastricht. In March the violinist and orchestra tour Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and France. André Rieu and his Johann Strauß Orchestra and the Harlem Gospel Choir play the Gelredome Stadium, the Netherlands. On December 15 Rieu plays the Rogers Centre, in Toronto, the largest indoor stadium in the world. A compilation of the first American tour of 2006 is broadcast as a six-part TV show on Dutch national TV and later on the DVD André Rieu Op Weg Naar New York ('André Rieu On His Way To New York'). The Radio City Music Hall show is broadcast in two parts in February and March. German TV shows the music special Meine Welt ist die Musik ('My World Is Music') which features André Rieu in Tuscany, Venice, Vienna, Paris and Maastricht. Later this year this music special is released on DVD under the title Romance. In March the violinist and his orchestra tour Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and France, followed by a tour of the US and Canada. This year Rieu also performs his summer night concerts again at the Vrijthof in Maastricht. André Rieu and his Johann Strauß Orkest and the Harlem Gospel Choir also perform at the Gelredome stadium. Another show in a Dutch theme park is broadcast in two parts on Dutch and German TV. A reality soap is made about the preparations for this music special. The violin player goes to Australia in the autumn for promotional activities in Melbourne and Sydney. The album In Wonderland is a double CD with recordings made in Dutch theme park Efteling. On 14 and 15 December, Rieu plays the Rogers Centre in Toronto, the biggest indoor stadium in the world, during a Vienna night which features a replica of castle Schönbrunn in Vienna.

2008

The magificent Een Romantische Nacht In Wenen ('A Romantic Night In Vienna') tour also comes to Europe. Against he background of the royal palace of Schönbrunn (the bigegst transportable stage in the world!) André Rieu and his orchestra perform in Düsseldorf (15 March), Leipzig (12 June) and Brussels (13 September). Added to the show are the Platin Tenöre, the ballet of the Vienna State Opera, 80 Wiener Debütanten, the Golden Coach with empress Sissi & emperor Franz Joseph. André Rieu tops the Australian Aria Album Chart in May with his album Waltzing Matilda. The same chart also features his CD box The 100 Most Beautiful Melodies and he is in the Aria Top 40 Music DVD Chart no less than sixteen times. In the same week the DVDs Gala Concert, Love Songs, Live In Vienna and André Rieu At Schönbrunn Vienna take up the first four spots of the list. Rieu gets 54 platinum DVDs in Australia. He tours North America with shows in Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Montréal, Ottawa, New York and Atlantic City. After that he travels to the other side of the world for shows in Australia. In Europe, Rieu performs in stadiums in Germany, France and Belgium. On 27 and 28 June he performs at the Amsterdam ArenA. Rieu's tour results in a turnover of 76.9 million dollar. This sum leads the artist by the end of the year to the eighth place of Pollstar's 'Top 10 of Worldwide Touring Acts'. Never before was a Dutch act this high up in the Pollstar list. With an average of about 10.000 tickets per concert, the violinist from Maastricht is the best-selling classical artist ever.

2009

Yours Forever is a benefit single for the victims of the fierce forest fires that were raging in Australia in February. The single is only released in Australia. On 5 March the artist receives the Dutch Exportprijs ('Export Award') for the fourth consecutive time for selling the most album of 2008 abroad. Also in March, Rieu receives a French honour, the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, for people who excel in the fields of art and culture, in France or internationally. In April, May and June, Rieu takes his 30th Anniversary Tour through Canada and the United States. Back from a autumn tour of Australia, New Zealand, France and Belgium, Rieu prepares for the first Grote André Rieu Kerstgala (André Rieu's Christmas Gala) 2009 at the Gelredome in Arnhem on 19 and 20 December. Marjorie Rieu writes the book Dromen Worden Werkelijkheid - Een Tweeling Op Bezoek Bij André Rieu) ('Dreams Become Reality – Twins Visiting André Rieu') a fictive story about the adventures and dreams of two young fans of André Rieu. The book is published in December in Dutch, German and English.

2010

Early September Rieu has to cancel concerts due to a virus infection in his vestibular system.

2011

He resumes his tour with a huge concert on April 16 in Thialf Stadium, Heerenveen in the north of the Netherlands. André Rieu: De Mens Achter Het Fenomeen (André Rieu: The Man Behind The Phenomenon) is a picture book with photographs by Govert de Roos. The photographer describes the book as 'an exploration of 1,000 days in the life of André Rieu'. Rieu’s ode to the city of Vienna (Wien, du Stadt meiner Träume) is broadcast on October 1 by the German broadcast company ZDF, including the world premiere of And The Waltz Goes composed by actor Sir Anthony Hopkins. In the top 25 of most lucrative concerts of 2011 published by Billboard magazine the violinist can be found at the 9th position, just one place behind Lady Gaga.

2012

In January the Sunday morning program of CBS News broadcasts a special about André Rieu. For the second time in his career the violinist has to cancel concerts because of health problems. In April he continues his tour in Denmark. At the Brit Awards in October André Rieu wins the Classic FM Album Of The Year for the second consecutive year for his album And The Waltz Goes On. Rieu gives special thanks to Sir Anthony Hopkins who is present during the ceremony. The album Magic Of The Movies contains well known soundtrack melodies from movies like The Godfather, Dances With Wolves, The Sound Of Music, Once Upon A Time In The West and Zorba The Greek. The cd enters the second place of the British album chart. In December Rieu and his orchestra are touring Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

2013

Early February singer Jermaine Jackson visits André Rieu’s studio in Maastricht for a special collaboration. To celebrate the new King Willem-Alexander, Rieu composes a King Waltz. The medley has elements of famous songs about de Dutch Kingdom. He also releases a compilation cd Rieu Royale with a new elaboration of the National anthem of The Netherlands.

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