André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu (born October 1, 1949) is a Dutch violinist, conductor, and composer. He is famous for creating an international revival in waltz music and for his many top selling DVD and CD recordings with his "Johann Strauss Orchestra". André Rieu was born on October 1, 1949 in Maastricht in the Netherlands. He began studying violin at the age of five. He was raised in a musical family (six children) and his father was also a conductor. From a very young age he developed a fascination with the Orchestra form. He studied violin at the Conservatoire Royal in Liège and in the Conservatorium Maastricht, (1968?1973). His teachers included Jo Juda and Herman Krebbers. From 1974 to 1977, he attended the Music Academy in Brussels, studying with André Gertler. At that Academy, he won the Premier Prix.