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André Rieu was raised in a musical household and was introduced to classical music during his childhood. His father was already successful as the director of the Leipzig Opera, and his siblings also pursued careers in music. While attending school, André took violin lessons. After graduation, he studied at the Liège Conservatory under Herman Krebbers and Arthur Grumiaux, graduating with distinction in 1977. During his studies, he developed a passion for three-quarter time music, leading him to admire composers Johann Strauss and Franz Léhar. In the early 1980s, he performed with the ensemble "Het Maastrichts Salon Orchest," giving numerous concerts across the Netherlands and the German-Belgian border regions.
At this time, he made his first studio recordings and named his orchestra the "Johann Strauss Orchestra" in tribute to the master of three-quarter time. In 1994, André Rieu released his debut studio album, "Strauß & Co," followed by his first international tour with a 44-piece orchestra. His breakthrough came in 1995 with the album "Wiener Melange." From that point, Rieu regularly appeared on various folk and pop music programs. In 1998, he received the "Golden Tuning Fork" award and released the album "Romantic Moments." By then, Rieu, focusing on classical music, had become one of Europe's most successful soloists.
He also established his own record label and recording studio, which, due to its specifications, ranks among the largest and most modern of its kind. Since then, his concerts and tours have been managed by his own companies. The Rieu Group expanded to employ several hundred people, including musicians, stage designers, tailors, technicians, supervisors, and logisticians who support his major events. His album "Music to Dream" came out in 2001, and in 2003, he received the "Golden Tuning Fork" award again. André Rieu currently resides near Maastricht with his family and owns the castle "De Torentjet." In 2005, a TV documentary about him was produced in collaboration with presenter Florian Silbereisen.
