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May 30, 2013

May 25, 2013

  
André Rieu Patron of The World Music Competition

André Rieu Partron to World Music Competition



André Rieu To Be Patron of The World Music Competition

May 24, 2013 - Kerkrade: By installing André Rieu as patron of the World Music Competition (WMC) the brass band music festival may piggyback on the success of the brand Rieu. The popular Maastricht violinist and orchestra leader last night became the patron and foremost ambassador for WMC for an indefinite period of time. It will be quite a substantive function and will entail more than for the previous patrons (according to tradition that was always the commissioner of the queen).

"I am unbelievably honored" said Rieu in a first reaction. There are no concrete agreements yet between Rieu and the WMC about the duties of his ambassadorship. "I assume that the WMC will use my name in order to promote brass band music world wide." The WMC organization hopes that because of Rieu’s popularity it will reach the widest possible audience for the promotion of (classical) brass music. Spearheading this edition is the youth. The (by the younger audience) popular Kyteman (trumpeter Colin Benders) was exemplary as a youth ambassador. But he had to cancel due to a busy schedule.

The WMC takes place every four years and will again be held this year in Kerkrade and is expecting roughly 16,000 musicians to attend from all over the world. The event will start on July 4th with more subdued openings. Instead of a grandiose opening in the RODA stadium, there will be a street parade, a flag ceremony and a concert by the WDR (West German Radio) Symphony orchestra. "The subdued opening is more fitting with today’s worldwide economic crisis" says artistic director Harrie Reumkes.

Thanks to John for the Translation 

May 23, 2013

Scientists to Study The Phenomenon André Rieu

André Rieu to Become an Object of Study
Science to examine the success of the Second Waltz

Four Maastricht scientists are going to examine the phenomenon "André Rieu." Primary research will concentrate on what the secret of Rieu is, why his music is appealing and how the Stand-alone violinist manages in fading the boundaries between 'high' and 'low' culture

According to the researchers Rieu manages to rid classical music from its exalted image. Thus he popularizes the genre into a wide audience. Specially notable is that Rieu is not only popular in the Netherlands but also worldwide.

Rieu broke through in 1994 with his rendition of "The Second Waltz" by Dimitri Shostakovich. He performed that piece during the rest period of the final Champions League in 1995. Since then he has been performing all over the world with a great show full of glitz and glamour. Recently he and his orchestra performed during the Coronation Concert at Museum square in Amsterdam. Some critics call his approach to classical music 'disrespectful'.

The research team consists of Prof. Maaike Meijer, professor of cultural and gender studies at the University of Maastricht, Dr. Peter Peters and Dr. Louis van den Hengel from the faculty of culture and social knowledge and historian Dr Jac van den Boogard (Social historic Centre of Limburg). The research should lead to amongst others to include a book, a documentary film and a scientific conference.
This came out in the Limburger and other newspapers in Holland today. Thanks to John for the Translation!

May 21, 2013

André Rieu To Create The Music For Film "Tuscan Wedding"


 
André Rieu To Create The Music For Dutch Film "Tuscan Wedding"
André Rieu is very happy with his new challenge. He is going to create the music for the movie production "Tuscan Wedding", a new movie by Johan Nijenhuis. "This will be the first time. It's such a great story that I immediately thought of doing that", the violinist told RTL Boulevard. 
"They also immediately asked if I wanted to play the pastor in the movie", Rieu says laughingly. "I have to think about that first." 
André will not produce a waltz for the movie. "It has to be romantic music. I've already let them listen to some pieces they liked that",Rieu continues. "And there also needs to be a theme song," he says. To which Albert Verlinde asked whether he would compose that. "Yes, and it has to be finished very quickly," replied the artist. 
The film is expected to play in theaters in February. Cast members were announced on Tuesday, which included Jan Kooijman, Matteo van der Grijn, Diederik Ebbinge, Ruud Feltkamp, Simone Kleinsma and Dirk Zeelenberg, all who will play a role in the film.
Thank You To John For The Translation! 

Josti Band to Appear With André Rieu July 6th


Alphen aan den Rijn: The date on which the Jostiband Orchestra will appear with André Rieu on the Vrijthof in Maastricht is now known. July 6 is the big day ... The orchestra with intellectual disabled members from Zwammerdam was invited by Rieu to play in one of the eight concerts he will be performing this summer in the capital city of Limburg. The Jostiband will perform with 25 to thirty band members. How long the show lasts, is not yet known. This will be the second time that André Rieu performs with the Jostiband.

May 20, 2013

ANDRÉ RIEU An Unforgettable Day in Amsterdam


An Unforgettable Day in Amsterdam
Chapeau Magazine: June/July - André Rieu Column - What a day, April 30th. I don’t think we will not soon forget that day. When you travel with your orchestra all over the world for so many years, you experience a lot. We perform abroad much more than we do in the Netherlands. But the special concert on the Museum Square in Amsterdam at the conclusion of the coronation festivities was for us quite unique. 
Such a coronation is a historical event, and even very beautiful and impressive. When you are asked to participate in such an event, you feel very honored. I am truly very proud that I and my orchestra were allowed to perform there. Images were shown all over the world. That is really something! For many people abroad we will still and often be associated with the coronation of Willem-Alexander to King. And in Argentina, where we will be performing shortly, especially of course with Queen Maxima. I love it, and will with pleasure and pride play there our "Coronation Waltz", complete with images of the inauguration.  
I am already looking forward to it! 
The day before the concert I was received in the Palace on the Dam and introduced to Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima. They were very nice and quite "normal" in as far as you can call the future King and Queen "normal". They were very open and spontaneous and wished me luck for the concert the next day. They are of course surrounded by protocol, but in spite of this they are very spontaneous people. I noticed that too with Queen Beatrix, when we performed for her several years ago in the caves of Valkenburg. I kept strictly to the by protocol prescribed time, and when the concert came to an end, the Queen very spontaneously from the first row said; "Oh, what a shame! As far as I am concerned, you could have continued on for quite some time yet."
Of course I wanted to do something very special with the concert in Amsterdam, and adapted the program completely to the occasion. In order to thank Queen Beatrix, we played the beautiful song "Time to say Goodbye", with images out of her live on the screen as Princess, Crown-Princess and Queen – I noticed that the audience listened with a lot of emotion – and specially for our new Queen Maxima, the most beautiful song I know about Argentina: "Don’t cry for me Argentina" from the musical "Evita" by Andrew Lloyd Webber. No one sings these songs more impressive than the Australian Soprano Mirusia Louwerse with her beautiful voice and tremendous acting talent, so I flew her over from Australia, especially for this evening. With André van Duijn, there is always laughter, lovely. Also again that evening with "Willempie" and "Orange on High". Martijn Fisher, who rendered the voice of Amsterdam’s André Hazes, impressed me deeply.

The mood on the square was immediately fantastic, despite the cold. The temperature was around four degrees (39F) with an icy wind. The entire orchestra had cold fingers – me too, and that makes violin playing not so easy – but the audience jumped and sang themselves warm, and after a few numbers we were not so cold any more either. It became a unique happening, really a real big "Orange Festivity". Just prior, ten Royal Air Force jets did a fly-over, which I thought was very impressive. You noticed immediately that this would become a very special concert, and that is how we all experienced it, the orchestra, the audience and almost five million Dutch TV viewers!

The next day it rained congratulations, and that of course makes you feel tremendously well. Not only did the audience in front of us enjoy themselves that evening, but apparently everyone else at home did too. I found the reaction of old Chamber president Gerdie Verbeet during an interview with "De Wereld Draait Door" (The World continues to Turn) heartwarming. She had became chilled during the coronation, so she said, but during the evening with her partner wrapped in a blanket on a bench while attending André Rieu’s concert, that was heavenly. That had totally warmed her up again. She was still glowing with enthusiasm when she relayed the story.
     Gerdi, thank you very much!!
    André Rieu

Thanks to Ineke for sending this to us and John for Translating it!

May 17, 2013



CHAPEAU MAGAZINE JUNE COVER PHOTO: 
Watch for The English Translation of André's Column by John Here on The Harmony Parlor SOON!

May 11, 2013

André Rieu-What I Know About Women

André Rieu 

What I Know About Women

Brisbane Times May 12, 2013 by Paul Connolly
All boys want to be like their father, but I think my mother had more to do with making me like him – in a musical sense – than he did, because [as a renowned conductor with the Limburg Symphony Orchestra] he was always on the road. I don't remember my father doing a lot with me, like practising or giving advice. 
It was my mother who gave me a violin. She was the one who always said, "Hey, hey, you are playing outside, come inside and practise." She was rather severe. 
I am completely different to my mother. Of course, she helped to shape me, but perhaps not in the way she would have liked. I am who I am. She is very religious, my father was very religious, but I am not any more. I think we should take our own responsibility and try to make heaven now, not when we are dead. 
She was very strict and very cold – and I am completely the opposite. She was afraid to show her feelings. She always said to me, "André, you don't have to look people in the eyes like you do." But I like to [do that]. That's why I have my face to the audience, unlike other conductors. I want to have this contact with people. It's how you connect. Everything goes through the eyes. 
My mother was afraid to look people in the eyes because then your feelings come. She is 96 now, still driving ... very independent and strong-willed. We have contact, but not much. 
I grew up with three sisters [and two brothers, in Maastricht, the Netherlands], but, honestly, I was a dreamer. Of course I remember them, but I was not very close to them. It is very sad. 
My oldest sister, Cilia, became mentally ill at the age of 18. She's still alive. I still think she could have had a normal life had things happened in another way: let's say, had she had other parents. My second sister, Teresia, was a beautiful harpist. Sadly, she is ill now, too. My youngest sister, Gaby, although she is 10 years younger than me, I was very close to her. In fact, with our parents being away so much, I raised her, I changed her diapers, so I was practically her father. 
Having three sisters didn't help me with girls – oh no, not at all! Speaking of such things in my home was impossible. 
My wife Marjorie was 13 and I was 11 when we first met. She was in Teresia's class. There was a [Christmas] party in my home with her whole class and I remember one girl with a lot of curls in her hair. That was Marjorie. Then we met later on and, "Boom!" She's honest and nice and beautiful and I knew immediately that she would be my wife. ,
We work together now, something I dreamed of doing with a wife when I was a small boy - I don't know why - but we also have periods of separation when I am on tour. I think it's important for a marriage that you can be separated. 
I see marriage as like an open hand. You could go out of the hand but you don't, because you like to be in the hand. When you really are fixed together and dare not open the hand, then it's not a marriage. 
I often tell Marjorie, "Without you, I would be in the gutter." She says, "No, you would have met another girl," but I am serious. She helped me to be myself and to believe in myself and look people in the eyes. I think women have a gift for that. [It's why] I love to work with women - half my orchestra is [female], half the people in my office. Women can show their feelings much more easily than men and that appeals to me. 
Why are many women taken with me? I really don't know. A University of Maastricht professor called me a few weeks ago and she wants to scientifically study this exact question. I am very curious about the answer and I will call you back when she finishes her studies [laughs]. I think it could be because I have a lot of woman in me. 
I show myself completely on stage. When I feel nervous, I appear nervous; when I feel glad, I appear glad; when I feel emotional, I appear emotional. Women like that. So I don't only show that I am having fun, but that I am emotional. That's when people are going to like you: "Oh my god, he's a normal human being." 
In everyone there is a male part and a female part. I think in male composers the female part is the part that composes the music - yes, the soul of the music. That's the answer to why some men are artists and [others] are not. It's the female side of them that's driven them to an artistic life.
André Rieu's new album, Mother and Child, is out now through Universal Music.
►Link To Aticle

May 6, 2013


Two Great Pics of Pierre taken at the Kings Concert in Amsterdam
Thank you to Gitti Marie who took them.

May 2, 2013


Mirusia Talks of Returning To Homeland


Soprano Mirusia to Return to Her Second "Homeland" 
AMSTERDAM - The Telegraaf by Wilma Nanninga: Mirusia Louwerse will again be in the Netherlands, starting in September, her second "Homeland" as she calls it. 
"My Dutch Oma (Grandmother) will be 90 years old in September. I have just completed my Australian 'hometour'. Don't you think it is then time for my 'second hometour'? And that will take place in my second "Fatherland". And that is here, my second "Fatherland", "THE NETHERLANDS" 
That is what Mirusia divulged to the Telegraaf. The soprano, a daughter of emmigrated Dutch parents was discovered by André Rieu with whom she traveled the entire world for five years. 
The songstress is called an 'unconventional popstar' in Australia since she also sings jazz as well as opera.
Thanks to John for this and it's Translation 
Shown Singing To ... "You'll Never Walk Alone".

May 1, 2013

André Rieu Cancels Aussie May Promo Visit

André Rieu Cancels Aussie Promo Visit

Australia Associated Press-May 2, 2013: André Rieu has cancelled his forthcoming visit to Australia after being ordered to take a break by his doctor. 
The violinist and conductor was scheduled to arrive in Sydney for the Mother's Day weekend to promote his new album Mother And Child. 
Following a busy schedule, including performing for the coronation of the new King of The Netherlands, Rieu has been advised to rest. 
"I am so very disappointed that I am unable to visit my wonderful fans in Sydney and Melbourne as promised," Rieu said in a statement from his home in The Netherlands. 
"Australia is like my second home, and has a special place in my heart. I am resting on doctors orders and am looking forward to seeing you all very soon for my tour". 
Rieu will bring his Johann Strauss Orchestra to Australia for And The Waltz Goes On concert Tour in October
Kings Concert Museum Square

Video: Full André Rieu Concert on Museum Square

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Pierre and André September 30, 2016 Maastricht

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Photo Taken at Mexico City Concert ~ September 2013

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"Hello to all my fans on The Harmony Parlor!"


Soundcheck in Maastricht 2013 (RTL Photo)



Maastricht 2012 ~ "André on The Theater Steps" by Bee

Maastricht 2012 ~ "André and Pierre on The Theater Steps" by Bee

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