Milestones of the 'Waltz King' André Rieu’s life
An icon of the classical music industry, André Rieu is celebrating 20 years of his legendary Maastricht concerts in 2025 – so what better time to look back on his illustrious life?
‘My life is simply music – and it never gets boring!’, says André Rieu, and we’re inclined to agree! As André celebrates his 75th birthday, and the 20th anniversary of his magnificent Vrijthof Square concerts, 2025 is the perfect year to witness the musical maestro live in concert – and perhaps tick off a few other wish-list experiences along the way.
At Newmarket Holidays, we’re big fans of all things André and are excited to help more people discover his musical magic with his brand-new tour dates across continental Europe and the UK. With that in mind, we’ve been looking back at the veteran showman’s incredible career, from world firsts to record-breaking triumphs, and have put together a list of some of his most significant milestones.
1949 – A star is born in Maastricht
Where else to start but Maastricht? In the autumn of 1949, André was born in the Dutch border town and has remained a long-term resident ever since. Such is his love for his native Maastricht, that André fulfilled his lifelong dream of buying a castle in the town at the turn of the century. Having recently celebrated his landmark 75th birthday, the Dutchman has dedicated his summers to a series of legendary hometown concerts since 2005 and marks the 20th anniversary of his first one-off performance on Vrijthof Square next year.
1974 – André starts his love affair with classical music
Raised amongst his father’s Maastricht Orchestra, André Rieu had been enamoured by classical music from an early age and studied at the Music academies of Liege and Maastricht as a young man. He then continued to study violin at the Royal Conservatory of Brussel in 1974. After one year spent in Belgium, André married his childhood sweetheart, Marjorie, in 1975 and graduated with distinction two years later.
1987 – The Waltz King’s Johann Strauss Orchestra is formed
10 years after graduating from the Royal Conservatory, André founded his famous Johann Strauss Orchestra – though not quite in the same form as it currently is. Comprising of 12 members, the Orchestra played its first concert a year later and has since become the world’s largest private ensemble and has garnered a stellar reputation to boot.
1994 – André Rieu’s breakthrough album tops the charts
André’s breakthrough album, From Holland with Love, tops the Netherlands’ chart and sparks a wave of Waltz-loving across Europe. It remained in the country’s top 10 for over a year and, since then, the musical maestro has sold upwards of 40,000,000 CDs and DVDs worldwide. André’s unique brand of showmanship has been such a global success that his illustrious career has since been crowned by over 500 platinum awards.
2012 – André goes global
In 2012, André, alongside his Johann Strauss Orchestra, made his first foray into the global music industry with his first performance outside of Europe. Drawing crowds of over 180,000 adoring fans to a 30-concert extravaganza in Sao Paulo, Brazil, André’s first intercontinental shows were wildly popular and prompted him to play his first concerts in Asia two years later. The rest, as they say, is history and the ‘Waltz King’ has since taken his trademark charm to a wide range of countries across the globe.
Witness the ‘Waltz King’ live in concert with Newmarket Holidays
Enough about André’s illustrious past, it’s time for the main event. Whether you’re an André aficionado or simply want to know what all the fuss is about, we’ve got the perfect winning André Rieu concert break for you. Visit our website for more details, or give our team a call, to kick-start your wish-list musical getaway. For more classical inspiration, check out our bespoke André playlist.
