Hi, my name is Monique Hoogzaad, 45 years old and I in live in Haarlem, Holland. Sally asked me to write a story about myself, how and when I became an André-fan, sharing joy and happiness with fan-friends, etc. I didn't hesitate at all and wrote down the next coming story. It feels like fun to share it with you and it doesn't matter where you live or how old you are.

I became an André Rieu-fan in 1994 when I saw André on the Dutch TV for the first time. He played "The Second Waltz" in behalf of a good (worthy) cause and I loved this tune right away and also his appearance. This tune was in my head all day. Anyway, one thing led to another and I bought his first CD "Strauss & Co." My husband Ron and daughter Marissa also loved André's music and we played it all day long ( I am sorry for my neighbors !!!).

The first concert I attended was with my husband in Amsterdam. We got free tickets and it was a very memorable night. Normally we never waltz, but that night we did and it was great fun !! After this concert many followed, because André was becoming pretty famous in Holland. Seeing his charming face on TV was smashing, I taped all the programs and naturally ALL his CD's got in my possession.

When André started his own website, I got in touch with many Rieu-fans from all over the world. My dear fan-friends live in Holland, (Thea, Ineke and Janny), Germany (Christine and Ute), Austria (Annemiek), America (Cathy and Sonja), Brazil (Mércia), South-Africa (Mariette) and Canada (Angela). Many of them I have already met and it's amazing how kind all those people are. We just share one thing and one thing only: André (and his music of course) !! His music is a wonderful connection on this worldglobe (like a golden chain) and it amazes me every day again. Besides Holland I also have been visiting some concerts in Germany. I have some wonderful friends up there and one of them "organizes" tickets every year for me and my Dutch friend Thea Buys. It's like a party when we leave Holland and enter Germany ..... So much fun together, before the concert and during the concert. I won't tell you what we do afterwards .... ha ha !!! (just take a look at the photos). I have so much nice memories when I think of all those concerts of André ... and there is one moment which I will never forget. It always has been my dream to meet André in person. Just to tell him how much I adore him and how proud I feel about the way he reached his goal. I just didn't ever get a chance to meet him, also because we have no "meet & greet" in Holland after a concert. But ... finally I got a chance !!! Sonja Harper, who I personally met in 2003, arranged a meeting after the Kerkrade-concert in July 2004 (I also have to thank his personal manager Kerstin for that). I told her that me and Thea would go dressed like princesses to the concert. That was in behalf of André's 25th Anniversary being an artist on stage. Thea and I ordered beautiful roses (white and red) which were decorated in a heart. It was a beautiful piece of art. Sonja also would offer André the Stars from her and the American fans. We persuaded Sonja to hire a princess-dress too, and up we went to the "Roda JC"-Stadion in Kerkrade. It was a huge concert, I am sure many of you have already seen it on DVD. The weather was great (and it was so bad before) and the atmosphere was indescribable. It felt like being together with one big family, being with so many fans from all over the world (about 18.000)!!!

I think that also the open-air atmosphere made the night more memorable. By the time the concert was almost over, I became pretty nervous ... wow, handing over such a beautiful bouquet in a princess-dress to my idol André Rieu.... It just felt like a dream when the three of us entered the elevator to bring us up to the room where André was chatting with some other fans. Just the look on his face when we entered the room .. Oh wow, I had to hold a little speech for him and thank God I remembered all the words I had been practicing. Just great to be so close and look in his wonderful blue "ocean" eyes, oh oh ... André was very happy and surprised to receive the bouquet of roses (he didn't know it was so heavy) and of course he was also impressed by receiving the Stars. Kerstin made some very memorable pictures and one of them (enlarged) is hanging in my bedroom. It was a great moment, just like a "crown" to my 10th Anniversary of being an André-fan. Oh yes, I felt like a princess in a fairytale ... what a moment !!

And what's next for this year ??? YEAH, André will give 4 concerts in his hometown Maastricht (8, 9 and 10th of July). It was tough to get some tickets, but I succeeded after phoning all morning. My husband, daughter and 5 Rieu-fans (from Germany and America) will join me and be sure we are going to make ONE BIG PARTY in this weekend :-) !!!! Ineke Cornelissen organized a fan-dinner on Friday night July 8th and naturally we will be there, too. It's great to be with so many fans together, just like one big family again, no matter where you come from, we do speak each other's languages !! We are looking forward to this Maastricht-weekend very much and we are counting the weeks by now. That's why we want André & Co. back in Holland safe & sound at the end of May !!

André changed my life completely and also my taste for music. Thanks to him I have such nice foreign friends and connections all over the world. He is a man of kindness and like a magician he brings MAGIC in this world. Sometimes it feels like a colored ornamental border around the worldglobe. I feel proud to be Dutch, because it's nice to read all those comments about "The Flying Dutchman" and his orchestra from fans all over the world. Something like this I told him and I think he felt touched. What a gift he is, Johann Strauss would have been very proud of him.

Enjoy his concerts, close your eyes and forget all your sorrows for a while. Being in the same area with him and his orchestra (and jewels of singers) feels like MAGIC, it's true !!!! Let's pray that André will be able to continue his gift for many more years in good health and happiness !!
 

Monique

 

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