André Writes a Letter To His Sixteen-Year-Old Self.

From "de Limburger Plus" 

Every week, a famous Limburger writes a letter to his sixteen-year-old self. This week: Violinist and orchestra leader André Rieu (70)

André Rieu looks back: "Skipping class with David Moszkowicz

 and eating ice cream at the V&D"

Hey, André of sixteen! Wake up! You're just sitting there dreaming in that classroom, about Edith and Ankie and all those other pretty girls. You don't feel like gym class again, so what do you do? You skip class with David Moszkowicz and together you are going to eat ice cream in the lunchroom of V&D(Large department store) in the Grote Straat. David treats and in return may copy your homework. When the ice cream is gone and the homework is finished, you talk about the future.

David wants to become a lawyer, just like his father Max. You say; "No, I'm not going to do it exactly like my father. I have been playing the violin since I was five and after the gymnasium I definitely want to go to the conservatory. That's all okay, but then afterwards I want something else. I'm going to start my own orchestra. And you know, I already have come up with a plan: I will start my own company! ”

David says, "An enterprise? As a violinist? You're crazy man, how are you going to do that? ”

"Well, for starters, with my plan I'm going to the Dragons' Den." (I've had future looking dreams in my life. Commercial television didn't really exist in the mid-1960s). "Oh yes, tight plan!" Says David. "And what do you say then?"

"Hello dear Dragons. I am André Rieu, I am a violinist and I want to start my own orchestra. I'm thinking about sixty person strong. With that I am going to tour all over the world. I understand that I cannot organize this entirely on my own, so I'm also going to start a production office. While on tour I also need some people, so in total I'll employ one hundred and forty people on a permanent basis. In order for things to run smoothly, I need everything in quadruplicate, so I have a whole set in Australia, another in South America, and two more on the way in container ships. And to have an extra nice decor, I recreate Schloss Schönbrunn in its original size and take it in triplicate around the world. During the summer I want to play at the Vrijthof with my orchestra, I build a big stage there, put up light poles and sound towers, and when people come from all over the world, about a hundred thousand, I've regained my costs and I also have some left over. But I do need a starting capital. Would the Dragons like to help me with that? ” David says: "Those Dragons will unanimously declare you crazy and inquire about your business plan."

"What is that?"

"Listen, if you don't even know what a business plan is, how do you expect to run a successful business?"

"Believe me, I feel it is going to work!"

"Take it from me, as your future lawyer - because I feel it in my bones that you will be needing them - those Dragons are not going to believe and invest in you."

"Doesn't matter, then we'll do without investors. My plan will work!”

Your road won't be that simple,

Little André of 16, you are a dreamer. But above all, stay like that and  you will make a lot of people happy with just that.

Thanks to Ineke for the article and John's Translation