More About Andre Rieu

Andre Rieu and his award-winning Johann Strauss Orchestra have been bringing a revival of classical music to the world since 1987, and they continue to do so on the current Andre Rieu tour. Andre Rieu is known for his mastery of the violin and his leadership of the Johann Strauss Orchestra, a group of 43 to 50 young, enthusiastic musicians that he conducts in a full classical orchestra format. Andre Rieu's concerts are known for their lavish production, dramatic performances, and accessible (and sometimes lighthearted) take on classical music. Audiences are drawn into the world of classical music - often discounted in these modern times - through beautiful costumes, passionate playing, touches of humor, and understandable interpretations of historic classics. The latest release from Andre Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra, the 37th in their discography, is 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. On this album, Andre combines his classical training with inspiration from the great orchestras of the 1950s and 1960s. It includes a range of classical favorites as well as new compositions by Andre Rieu, reaching out to all music lovers in an effort to share the joy of music. Called "the Waltz King of Europe', Andre Rieu was born into a musical family - his father was a conductor - and began studying music at an early age. Watching his father work in the concert halls, he noticed the somber atmosphere that so often surrounds performances of classical music. This seriousness was something he could not understand, because he felt that the music radiated immense amounts of joy. He now works to translate that joy to music lovers worldwide by loosening up the stiffness common to classical performances, often laughing and being playful with the audience from the stage. This attitude has led Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra to become the recipients of numerous international awards and more than 55 gold and platinum records.