Classic FM Q&A

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Classic FM Q&A Live web chat, Oct.26, 2015.
October 26, 2015. A live web chat with André Rieu at Classic FM. Read how André (with Marjorie at his side) replied to fan’s questions from his home in Maastricht. Scoll the text down to see all of the questions.

Q & A Classic FM with André Rieu. 
Live web chat, October 26th 2015.
We only copied the questions which André replied.

Jill Baggaley: My favorite piece that you play is Adagio from Beethoven's piano concerto on the Romantic Paradise DVD, but I have never heard you play it during any concerts. Would you ever consider playing it please, I would so love to see and hear it live.
AR: I never make promises, but you're absolutely right. This is a wonderful piece of music.

Marie McManus: Hi André, Myself and my family have enjoyed many of your concerts and had the pleasure of seeing you in your home town of Maastricht during the summer. My question is: Would you consider playing "Irish Rhythms" by David Curry sometime in the future at one of your concerts. I think it would be very suitable for your orchestra. Also: is there any possibility of Carla Maffioletti returning in the future? She is an exceptional talent.
AR: Carla is the best. She's singing now in the opera in Luzern (Switzerland) If she's available again, I'd love to ask her!

June Shute: Dear André, when we are in Maastricht we always sample your local food and I wonder if you Have ever tried our Yorkshire specialties such as ginger parkin, Pontefract cakes and Yorkshire curd tarts.
AR: Oooops.... No, never tried that.
June: Well, then I must take some to Maastricht for you in July.

Ellen Hobbs: Hi André, I have been to your concerts in Dublin and Maastricht and thoroughly enjoyed them. Have you any plans to include more solo violin pieces? Would love to hear more of your playing.
AR: I'm sure you will love our new show!
Ellen: I'll be in December in Dublin and in Maastricht in July 2016. Can't wait!

Kerry Etheridge: Hi André, Ha, Ha, it is of course a wonderful instrument. Thank you so much for taking the time out to reply to me on here. It really has made my day. I'm sure you hear this so much but your music is truly wonderful and I have already preordered Roman Holiday. See you very soon in Manchester. Much love to yourself and family!
AR: Hi Kerry, Hope you like the new album as much as we did making it! See you in Manchester!

Chanel McManus: Hi there André, I am a young musician and I'm also training to be a sound engineer. Have you any advice to give me as a performer? I'm a huge fan of yourself and your orchestra and have been to see you three times in Belfast, once in Maastricht and will be going to your concert in Vienna in May 2016. Thank you so much for inspiring me with your beautiful music. Take care,
AR: Hi Chanel, Nice to read that you visited us many times. See you in Vienna!
As a fellow musician I can say: keep practicing, don't give up. Follow your heart!

Madeleine Egleton: Dear Maestro André, My granddaughter Francesca and I had a wonderful time in Maastricht. There is nowhere like it in the world. It was my fourth visit. If you were stranded on a deserted island, what book, piece of music and luxury would you like to have with you. Would you survive? You make the darkest days light and bright and you and your music are a wonderful gift to the world. 
AR: Hi Madeleine, I hope I never get stuck on a deserted island. But I love to read about history. And all the pieces of Johann Strauss would keep me alive, for sure.
But waltzing alone....hmmmm...
Madeleine: Well, I hope I am shipwrecked as well and we will waltz together! Thank you so much dearest André, you are simply the best. Love and every good wish to you, Marjorie, your family and the whole orchestra. God bless you.
AR: sssst.... My wife Marjorie is reading it too.....haha.
Madeleine: She is a wonderful lady and so understanding to share you with the whole world. She has my utmost respect and love too.

Diane Thompson: If a fire alarm sounded in your hotel when on tour. What, apart from your violin, would be the most prized item you would take with you? See you at Wembley on the 22nd. Much love.
AR: My orchestra!!!
Diane: Good answer!
AR: See you in Wembley, Diane.

June Shute: You have told us that your second choice of career would have been architecture. If you could design a fabulous building somewhere, what would it be and where? Looking forward to your UK tour. Take care.
AR: Oh, I would love to build a great concert hall, in Rome for example. As the Romans did. I love the Pantheon building. It is so majestic.

Philippa Barker: Hello André, Can you tell us on what DVD is the wedding of Mirusia? We seem to be a little confused. See you in Sheffield and Maastricht next year.
AR: Hi Philippa, You can find the video clip of Mirusia's wedding on my Facebook and Youtube. It's called Mio Angelo. Hope you like it.
Philippa: Is it not going to be on a DVD? I'm in Sheffield row A1 and I need a high five to keep me going until Maastricht!
AR: You can watch the video of the wedding on the following link. I hope you enjoy it!

Kerry Etheridge: Out of the music you have played, have you got a specific favorite or do you have many? Do you have the one violin that you use and was it made especially for you?
AR: Hi Kerry, I'm honored to play a beautiful Stradivarius. And I don't think he made it at the time just for me....haha. But I thank him for this wonderful instrument.

Bebe Maggiori: Hi André, Congratulations on your Roman Holiday DVD. It's absolutely wonderful and I am sure you would have lots of opportunities to play in Rome and the rest of Italy. I will be there for all the concerts. See you soon in Paris. Love and blessings.
AR: Thank you Bebe. I love Italy.

Judy Needham: Good morning André, I hope you are well and that all is well in your world.
AR: I have a little jet-lag still from my trip to Mexico last week.
Judy: Take care and rest.

Vivienne Pratt: Hi André, Thinking of your wonderful Roman Holiday Album. Would you ever do something similar in Greece which is also a very ancient and beautiful country. Incidentally Mio Angelo is one of your finest creations, as is Love in Venice, and I'm sure Marjorie loved it as much as we do. My love and thanks to her for all that she is to you.
AR: Greece is beautiful too. So who knows...
Vivienne: Thank you for your reply André. I hope the jet-lag clears soon.

Mavis Waterhouse: Have you any thoughts of when you might retire from giving concerts worldwide?
AR: Never, I'm planning to get 120 years old, haha....

Elaine Beckwith: André, will you pass on our heartfelt thanks to your wonderful wife Marjorie for sharing so much of your world with us all?
AR: She's on my side and says thank you!

Brian Booth: I'm very fond of the playing, interpretation, intonation, rhythmic security, phrasing and arrangements, but can only watch a number or possibly two, before the visual "bling" and "cream cake" costumes and false acting turns me off watching. Why do you spoil the musicianship with your "over the top" presentation?
AR: Sorry to hear it. But I appreciate your honesty.

Cameron Stewart: Hi André, so looking forward to Aberdeen in December, front row, fantastic. Who decides the new material for each new show that you so wonderfully put together?
AR: I do that together with my wife Marjorie. Great that you like it!

Jill Baggaley: Good morning André, I absolutely love your music and concerts. Do you have a favorite venue other than Maastricht? Can't wait to meet up with my worldwide friends again there in 2016. You have given me so many friendships through your music! Thank you and the JSO so much. You have changed my life.
AR: I would love to play in front of the Pantheon in Rome!
Jill: That would be a fantastic venue. I would definitely join you there.

June Shute: I am hoping to visit friends in Nevada and California next year, but I won't go unless you are playing there. Have you any idea when you might be going to the States? Looking forward to seeing you at the six concerts I have already booked. Take care.
AR: We are planning to go there soon again! Miss the US.

Elaine Beckwith: Hello André, this is the best chance to hear you live. I will be in Glasgow waiting to see you enter the arena, hopefully near enough to give a high five.
AR: I will high five back, Elaine!

Pat Gibson: Hi André, looking forward to your new album in November. My family bought us tickets to see you live in Manchester a couple of years ago. The best present ever! My husband and I now love your music and love to watch your shows. André, will you be recording a new DVD at Christmas from your home again? It is so beautiful.
AR: Thank you for your kind words. No Chistmas DVD planned this year. But who knows in the future.....

Ty Southwood: Hi André, Are you planning on working with any other musicians soon? I am a big fan of collaborations and would love to see you helping some younger artists establish themselves on the international classical music scene.
AR: Hi Ty, I love to work together with other talented musicians and help them with their own careers.
Ty: Thank you for your response. My colleagues and I find you a true inspiration and we love to play music around the office. Best of luck for all your future endeavors.

Rana Moulaeb: I am a big fan of you and my dream is to watch a live concert. Unfortunately I don't have the opportunity to travel, I know many other Lebanese fans. My question: do you intend to visit Lebanon? It would be the most beautiful dream that comes true. Thank you.
AR: Hi Rana, Who knows! I love to visit my Lebanon fans some day!

Hannah Ella: I love watching your concerts on TV and hope that one day I will get to see you perform live, you are a truly inspirational musician. You help inspire me to do well in my music degree (even though I am a flautist, not a violinist). What is it that you try out most of your new shows in the UK first? Is it the British audience or something else?
AR: The British audience is the best audience in the world. So if they like it....

Arnold Solomon: We are coming to your concert in Liverpool on Dec. 19th. Will you be playing some Beatle's music as a tribute to the Beatle's home town?
AR: Hi Arnold, great to see you in Liverpool. I will consider your suggestion, but I won't make any promises. 

Pamela Skelton: Thanks for helping me through some bad times. I love you to bits and have been to many concerts. I hope to get Roman Holiday for my birthday soon. When can we expect to see this year's Maastricht DVD in our shops? See you in London.
AR: Nice to hear our music makes you feel better. I think both DVDs will be released on November 13th.
Pamela: Thank you, you made my day.

Marina Malone: Hi André, You and your orchestra are simply wonderful. I love the staging and the arrangements. Keep the "over the top" performances coming! Classical music performances are often so formal and rigid, but you create a magical atmosphere that even my 4 year old daughter Madelyn enjoys. I'm delighted to see that you have no intention of retiring.
AR: Hi Marina (nice title to a song). Thank you for your kind words. I have no intentions to stop living in my dream....

Elaine Beckwith: André, do you have a favorite piece to play and if so what is it?
AR: I love to play the Intermezzo Sinfonico that is on the new CD. I also play it often in concerts. It's so romantic!
Elaine: This is so interesting as I cried when I first heard your interpretation of this piece. It was a favorite of my beloved father. Thank you so much.
AR: I cried too when I heard this beautiful song 
Elaine: André, please keep staging your concerts the way you always do, they are not over the top. We always look forward to seeing you all look so lovely. Your concerts fill our hearts.

Eve Parbell: Dear André, Do you find it tricky to be an artist while there are expectations of you to be a businessman? Would you rather practice your music? With very best regards.
AR: In the first place I'm a musician. Playing music is my life. Of course the business part is important too.

Arnold Solomon: I gather that your wife plays an important part in your work. Do you think you would be as popular without her influence?
AR: Without Marjorie I would have remained a poor musician. She's so important to me.

Moira Darroch: André, how did you find your wonderful new tenor Eric?
AR: I've asked my orchestra and choir. One of them came up with Eric. He has a great voice and fits perfectly into our Strauss family.
Moira: Thank you André, He does indeed and the three "guys" sound amazing together. Did you find the lovely Donij the same way, or has she ever been in your choir?

Alan Blomley: I am looking forward to your forthcoming concert in Manchester, as per last year, but the logistics involved in organizing your world tours and how the members of your orchestra and huge support staff cope, fascinates me. Can you tell me how you deal with this aspect of your huge success over the years?
AR: I have a large team of great people that help me tour around the world. Without  them we cannot do anything. Everybody is important. And it has grown, of course. But most of my staff have been with me since 20 years!

André Rieu: Dear fans, my fingers hurt, as I am not used to type as much. I play the violin.... Thank you very much for your kind words. I hope to see you soon at one of my concerts, or maybe at cinemas around the world. I hope you like our new album Roman Holidays!

Moira Darroch: André, thank you so much for your replies to me this morning. I guess you are off for some lunch now. Enjoy! See you in Aberdeen and Glasgow in December and magical Maastricht next July.
AR: Yes, I'm hungry....

Classic FM: Hello André, thank you for taking the time for today's web chat, it's been an absolute pleasure. Thank you to everyone who sent in their questions!

André Rieu: Bye bye to all of you!!