André Rieu is a Dutch violinist virtuoso and conductor of the Johann Strauss Orchestra. He was born in Maastricht, Holland in 1950 into a very musical family. His father was a conductor, and most of his brothers and sisters are professional musicians. To overcome shyness onstage during his early career, and to remove the emotional distance between himself and his audience, he adopted the example of Johann Strauss, who would create a festive atmosphere at his performances and encourage his audiences to enjoy the music by getting out of their seats and waltzing in the aisles. This was well received, and Rieu assembled a group of local Dutch musicians, creating the Johann Strauss Orchestra.