The Johann Strauss Orchestra
began in 1987 with twelve members but now
performs with over forty and up to fifty
musicians. At the same time that the orchestra
first toured Europe, there emerged a renewed
interest in waltz music. This revival was mostly
in the Netherlands and was ignited by their
recording of the "Second Waltz" from
Shostakovich's Jazz Suites. As a result, André
Rieu became known as "The King Of Waltz."
André Rieu and the "Johann
Strauss Orchestra" have performed throughout
Europe, in North America, and Japan. They have
won a number of awards including two World Music
Awards and have recordings that have gone gold
and platinum in many countries around the world,
including 8-times platinum in the Netherlands.
André Rieu records from his own recording studio
a wide range of classical music as well as
popular and folk music plus music from famous
motion picture sound tracks and theater
musicals. His lively and colorful orchestral
presentations have been able to attract
audiences that may not initially be drawn to
classical music.
André Rieu worked together
with his brother, Jean Philippe, for several
years, but Jean Philippe has now started his own
production company. André Rieu's son, Pierre,
still works with him. André Rieu plays on a 1667
Stradivarius violin. Some of his orchestra's
performances have been broadcast in the United
Kingdom and the United States on the PBS
television network such as the 2003 airing of
Andre Rieu - Live In Dublin, filmed in
Dublin, Ireland, and 2005's André Rieu - Live
In Tuscany filmed in the Piazza Della
Republica in the village of Cortona in Tuscany,
Italy.
Contact Grabow for more
information or to book André Rieu for your next
corporate or private event.
