Björn waltzes Around The World With Rieu's Orchestra

Björn waltzes Around The World With Rieu's Orchestra

By Jeroen Janssen: Wednesday morning in Maastricht. You may see a luxurious coach with elegant letters: André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra on the Kesselskade . The silver coach is the workplace of Bjorn Jorigas, born and raised in Heer and since 2002 driver of André Rieu's company. Even Bjorn did not escape cupid in the big 'family'.

The first years as a driver of a night-liner and in most recent years one of the drivers of André and his Orchestra. The story about a boy from Heer, who once dreamed of a career as a touring-bus driver or bus driver on a city bus, ended up in the world of André Rieu and his Orchestra.

There is no shortage of variety
Bjorn could never have imagined that his passion for the bus driver's profession would lead to one of the most varied and adventurous driver jobs in the world.
You have to admit: which driver spends a large part of the year in the company of the most famous and loved orchestra of all continents? Bjorn remains down-to-earth under that determination, but is indeed happy that he is associated with André Rieu Productions. There is no shortage of variety because last Monday he left for Salzburg where the first in a whole series of European concerts is being given.

Spotless
Bjorn: "It may sound strange, but we left with empty buses to our destination, the Austrian Salzburg. The orchestra members were flown in later, which is faster and more comfortable. For us as drivers, Salzburg is the first location of this tour, from there we bring the orchestra wherever the concerts will take place. "
Bjorn also tells us that nothing is left to chance within the team. The musicians and crewmembers are not lacking anything. Everything is arranged down into the smallest detail and serves only one goal: the concert must always be perfect and flawless.

One big family
Throughout the years that he has been with the orchestra, Bjorn has never had the feeling of being an outsider. On the contrary, he totally feels as one with the orchestra.

"The company is sometimes jokingly called "one large family,' but that is really true", says the 39-year-old. "The atmosphere within the team is fantastic and that is due in large part to the perfectionism with which we work. Everything has been thought of, concerts and tours are prepared down into the smallest detail. The musicians and crew members are not amiss in anything. The entire preparations and planning serves only one purpose: the concert must be perfect."

Perfection
Bjorn illustrates his claim with an example. "In preparation for the United States tour last year, I traveled ahead to inspect the buses we would be using there. These tour buses had to precisely meet the wishes of André and the production team, and if necessary had to be adapted. This typifies André's perfection."

Cupid
Another fact that illustrates the atmosphere within the orchestra is the fact that 13 couples have evolved from within the team, and that is even jokingly talked about as the "Magic of the Waltz." Bjorn also has not escaped cupid and is in a relationship with pianist and violinist Martine Wijers. "You can easily call this a world job and that I can experience this is great.

Thanks to John for the Translation

Become Successful Like André Rieu

This Way You May Become 
Just As Successful As André Rieu

IN THREE LESSONS

King of the Waltz André Rieu not only draws sold-out venues, but also runs his own billion Euro business. How does he do that? In three lessons you can be just as successful as the world's best-known Maastricht Citizen.

By Priscilla van Agteren, Algemeen Dagblad - The now 68-year-old Rieu built his business from scratch. He was first taunted for his love for the waltz, now he is a world star with his well-groomed shows. And everything he does - concerts, CDs, DVDs - he does in-house.

Author Johan Nebbeling dedicated a book "Thinking like André Rieu" to the lessons that can be learned from the success of this Maastricht resident. Nebbeling based his book on various biographies, including Rieu's "Maestro without borders" and dozens of articles. "In addition to the excellent violinist and variety entertainer he is, he is above all a great entrepreneur and an eminent businessman. The violinist, showman and entrepreneur André Rieu is someone from whom we can learn a lot.

Three Lessons From Rieu

Lesson 1. Dare to dream and dream big

When  at the end of the 1980's Rieu decided to concentrate on the waltz, it was a daring choice. Where classical music was already viewed as a strange duck in the hit parades, this style was seen as hopelessly old-fashioned. But Rieu had a dream, and held on to it at any cost. The definitive breakthrough came in 1994, when his performance of Shostakovich's "Second Waltz" stood in the Mega Top 50 for 30 weeks.

But he was not done yet. Rieu risked a performance in 1995 during the halftime rest period of the Champions League match between Ajax and Bayern Munich, which was a huge gamble. The soccer public was eagerly waiting for an intermezzo of classical music. The fans reacted very enthusiastically and sang loudly along . His fame had started. A year later he founded André Rieu Productions Holding BV, with all shares held by himself and his wife Marjorie Rieu-Kochmann.

In the 30 years that followed, Rieu has played all over the world. But he never stopped dreaming. He would also like to perform a concert on the moon, he once said.

Lesson 2. Make your employees your family and treat them accordingly.

In 2018 André Rieu is the head of a company with approximately one hundred permanent employees, which he treats like family. Some of them really are actually his family members. He governs the company with his wife Marjorie and - increasingly - his son Pierre. Rieu is a family man through and through and watches over the welfare of his immediate family members and likes to spend as much time as possible with them. In addition, he maintains a warm relationship with all his orchestra members and the other employees. When Rieu is on his international tours, they are on the road for weeks . Rieu ensures that his musicians not only 'click' with him, but also with his choice of music. Playing in Rieu's orchestra gives little status for the classical-trained musicians. Orchestra members can count on skepticism from colleagues who see Rieu's choice as a submission to the trade. Nevertheless, Rieu manages to have them bond together by creating a family atmosphere in the work environment. Every rehearsal is started with coffee and cake, they dine together and there is a lot of understanding for personal circumstances. Rieu's employees often stay with him for years, if not decades.

Lesson 3. Prepare yourself well and take calculated risks

According to Rieu's working methods, there is a risk associated with entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship also means taking risks. But taking risks is not the same as getting into something blindly and hoping that it will turn out to be okay. Before Rieu takes on a new venture, he prepares himself well. Preparation for Rieu is more than half the work. The performances are of course detailed into perfection, no matter where Rieu performs.

He also learned from his own mistakes. For tours abroad he does not work - as most artists do - anymore with a tour promoter, but does and controls everything himself. This avoids unpleasant surprises, such as those he experienced during a tour through the United States. Local promoters are tough to negotiate with and that takes up a lot of time. A reason for Rieu to decide that from now on he can arrange those better himself. In those he can afford to take risks. A successful performance abroad does not solely depend on direct income for Rieu. The Australia tour in 2008 was in itself a financial disaster: the construction of just the stage itself was very expensive because it required 500 employees. However, this loss was more than offset by the subsequent sale of DVDs, CDs and merchandising.

Thanks Ineke for this article and John for the translation

Andre's View

André Rieu's view

André Rieu's view: 'My orangery is the place where I can completely relax'

Every week "De Volkskrant" (Dutch Newspaper) asks what a nice friend sees when he or she looks out of their window - and what that says about them. Artist Matteo Pericoli, who created the series "Windows on the world" for The New York Times, portrays the view.

By Misha Wessel May 2018

André Rieu's view. Photo Matteo Pericoli

People often ask me which music I like to listen when I am at home. Frankly, I prefer silence. I play between one hundred and one hundred and twenty concerts a year. So when I'm free, I think it's great not to have anyone around me and not be surrounded by music for a while. My orangery is the place where I completely relax. I have sent my gardener out to find out the most beautiful plants and butterflies in the world. The only noise in here comes from the tropical birds and the clatter of the little waterfall at the pond. Delightful!

When I saw that the "Castle De Torentjes" (Little Turrets) was for sale, I did not have to think about it twice. I was - and still secretly am - a big fan of Tin-tin. At one point his good friend Captain Haddock bought the castle "Molensloot." That has always appealed to my imagination. I wanted that too! And my castle has housed so many special residents and stories: the first owner (in 1534, if I am not mistaken) might have been a composer. The famous musketeer d'Artagnan ate his last breakfast here before he died in front of the city walls of Maastricht and I even received piano lessons here as a little boy. So I am incredibly proud that I live here now.

In Maastricht they ring the "Grameer" clock on most of the special Holidays of the church. "Grameer" is Maastrichts for grandmother, derived from the French word "grandmère." The clock hangs in the Basilica of the Saint Servaas, in the center of the city. We live exactly the perfect distance from it to hear its sonorous, almost ominous sound of this clock. And precisely since the clock is almost never rung, I find it so beautiful. I like silence, but that sound really belongs with my view. '

André Rieu (Maastricht, 1949) is a violinist and leader of the Johan Strauss Orchestra. Known as "King of the Waltz", he wants to make classical music accessible to everyone. He has sold more than 40 million CD's and DVD's worldwide and annually attracts hundreds of thousands of fans with his concerts.

Thanks Ineke for the article and John's translation

Another bankrupt Restaurant on the Vrijthof

Rieu wants insurance for bankrupt companies on the Vrijthof.

There is still hope for duped fans of André Rieu.

Despite a bankrupt restaurant they can almost certainly still go onto the Vrijthof.

Maastricht by Ivo Kok

That a hotel-restaurant establishment never again will go bankrupt in Maastricht, is a utopia according to Pierre Rieu. But it has to be be the last time that everything and anything needs to be arranged at the very last minute in order to help the duped fans of his father André. And now it has happened again for the second time in four years, first when hotel-restaurant Anna's suddenly went bankrupt in 2015 and some seven hundred fans from home and abroad could wave good-bye to their already paid tickets of at least eighty Euros each for a complete package, and now here in 2018 the same is happening with hotel-restaurant establishment Scharrels & Scharen. (Scratching & Scissors) The chicken and lobster restaurant, located in the former building of "La Cloche" on Vrijthof 12, was opened in mid-2017, but for whatever reason it turned out it was unable to keep things going for more than a year. Exactly how this came about is still being investigated by curator Roel Janse, but once again numerous fans were duped. Both Rieu and Janse confirm that the same order of magnitude as in the case of Anna's should be considered. It amounts to hundreds of fans and thousands of Euros.

 

No promises

Where the production company of the world famous Maastricht violinist, led by son Pierre, did everything possible in 2015, it now seems to be happening all over again this year  It seems, and Pierre Rieu emphasizes this strongly, that he promises "absolutely nothing" because I do not want to promise things that in the end I cannot fulfill. But still, "I have to say that we are going to do our utmost best to help these people, and it is true that, when we do our best for something, it usually works out." In other words: "Even the duped fans of this year may more or less assume that despite all the misery, they will nevertheless receive value for their money in the end, without having to pay a penny extra, of course, because if that is the case, that would find Pierre Rieu "in a very awkward position". "At the moment we are busy negotiating with the entrepreneurs on the Vrijthof and hopefully in about two weeks I think I can provide absolute clarity, but again at this moment, I promise nothing." The consultation between the vigorous production company and the Vrijthof entrepreneurs will focus on the same outcome as in 2015: victims who are still attending the concert, and if possible, will also receive a free dinner in or at a different place on Maastricht's most famous square. And although he did not promise anything, Pierre Rieu states that he also wants to take into account the days the fans have chosen. His father will be giving thirteen concerts, and there are going to be more than enough (foreign) fans who have booked a trip and hotel accommodation  for a certain day. "In any case, there are things I cannot guarantee" continues Rieu, "and that is where people have booked on that same date and place, and that is entirely going to depend on what the new owner (in the building of Scharrels & Scharen who will soon open a subsidiary of the Amsterdam Corner Bakery concept) wants.  We are not going to be talking about that at all." And neither will we talk about the prickly situation the hundreds of fans ended up in "Actually it is not our problem, if you want to put it as hard as you want, but our name is still on it."

Last time

And so, Rieu is the softhearted one again. But now it must be done, emphasizes the producer leader. We will talk with the entrepreneurs to see how we can prevent this in the future. We will have to find a system that provides a safety net in one way or another, so that this no longer has to be arranged by us at the very last moment."


                            Thanks John for this article and translation

André Rieu: Herman Krebbers Was a Great Role Model

André Rieu: Herman Krebbers Was a Great Role Model

The Limburger: He was considered one of the greatest Dutch violinists. Herman Krebbers, who for decades was the concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, died Wednesday at the age of 94 in Tilburg. "He was my great role model" ... responds André Rieu.

The former prodigy Krebbers is characterized by André Rieu as a fantastic violinist and a unique virtuoso on his instrument.

"This morning I learned of the death of my former violin teacher Herman Krebbers, what sad news! In the first place, I wish his immediate family, friends and other relatives a lot of strength with this great loss." He was my great role model .... I wanted to be like him! " Rieu reacts excitedly.

Enjoyment "I learned a lot from him, one of the most important lessons were enjoying in what we did, and as long as I felt that and radiated that to my audience, I have been delighted in playing the violin." Thank you, Mr. Krebbers, for your valuable contribution to the music world! "

Herman Krebbers continued giving violin lessons well into his later years. Many of his pupils won prizes during competitions at home and abroad.

Thank You to John for the Translation  

Rieu's Mother-in-law Helped Jews To Go Into Hiding

André Rieu's Mother-in-law Helped Jews To Go Into Hiding

Nelly Eymael, André Rieu's mother-in-law, rescued several Jews from the Germans during the Second World War

By Kim Noach: Pierre Rieu, grandson of this Maastricht resistance hero, will honor his grandmother with a portrait, which will be broadcast at the end of this year in the popular Rieu TV series 'Welcome to my world'.

Photo

Nelly Eymael has - as far as Pierre Rieu now knows - definitely helped two Jewish people in hiding. During his concert trip to Israel in April, Rieu met the Cohen family. They touched him with the story that Nelly helped their grandmother, Schlomit Cohen, go into hiding in Limburg. "After the death of Schlomit (she was 93 years old) the Cohen family found a photo in her house, where their grandfather and grandmother were prominently present, so during that meeting their grandma was saved by my grandmother. "We are alive thanks to Nelly" the Cohens told me. And that was so moving and beautiful, that together we stood there crying."

Resistant Group
The photo appears to be a group portrait of probably a resistance group from Maastricht. Pierre Rieu hopes to find a name and story behind all the unknown faces. Eight years ago Pierre met the - now retired - businessman Mattie Tugendhaft from Maastricht. As a five-year-old child, he was placed in various hiding addresses under the wings of Nelly and thus stayed out of the hands of the Germans.

Pierre Rieu is now making a portrait of his grandmother Nelly. It will be broadcast as one of the 'Welcome to my world' episodes at the end of this year. A concrete date is not yet known.

Thanks to John for this Article and it's Translation