From 1974 to 1977, he attended the Music Academy in Brussels, studying with André Gertler. He completed his training with the distinction "Premier Prix" from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. He married Marjorie Kochmann in 1975. She has been a language teacher and has written compositions.

Maastricht The yearly concert series by André Rieu in his home town Maastricht once started as a once-off event in 2005. But the sympathetic gesture of the violinist in his home town turned into an astounding success. Since then, the Rieu concerts on Vrijthof square have become one of the most popular live acts in the world.

Rieu is most famous for founding the Johann Strauss Orchestra, which he set up with just 12 members in 1987. Today the orchestra consists of up to 60 players and is known for its crowd-friendly performances of popular classics, crossover tunes and particularly waltzes, and for its extravagant costumes and sets.

Rieu is a talented musician and a great showman. He provides employment to an entire orchestra, and all the associated support staff required for touring. He is a great entertainer, choosing accessible music and filling huge venues.

It was well worth the slightly diminished sound quality just to see Andre and the orchestra members up close and personal. And, as expected, they were consummate performers -- wonderfully entertaining. As a concert organist myself, I appreciated the quality of the classical repertoire performed.

André Rieu was born on October 1, 1949 in Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands.

Concerts tend to be 2.5-3 hours usually with an interval.

1: The Second Waltz It had just been used on a television advert, so the audience knew it well and decided to sing along, with Rieu conducting. It's one of those magical crowd moments that happen only once in a lifetime, and it turned him into an overnight megastar. He sold 200,000 CDs immediately afterward.

Together with his 60-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra, André Rieu performs to over half a million people each year, establishing him as one of the top ten touring acts in the world.

Rieu is a talented musician and a great showman. He provides employment to an entire orchestra, and all the associated support staff required for touring. He is a great entertainer, choosing accessible music and filling huge venues.

1: The Second Waltz It had just been used on a television advert, so the audience knew it well and decided to sing along, with Rieu conducting. It's one of those magical crowd moments that happen only once in a lifetime, and it turned him into an overnight megastar. He sold 200,000 CDs immediately afterward.