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The Last Concert in Maastricht 2010 on The Vrijthof
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Photos Taken by Al Girard
From The Fourth Floor of DuCasque Hotel
(Click on Photos to See Full Size)
3/20/06
1/6/06
"The Musical Worlds of Linda Custers"Maastricht resident Linda Custers plays (amongst others) fiddle with the Limburg Medieval Reincarnatus which she is on stage with a tight leather suit. One day later she plays the violin in the Orchestra of André Rieu, dressed in a baroque style gown. Both music groups have an International Career and as different as they are, Linda would not miss playing in either one of them.
"At the age of 4, I already wanted to play the violin. But the only thing I got were 'violins' (in English the plant violet) for the garden. My father was the manager
of the Maastricht Music Academy and he played the flute. He did not like parents who wanted their children to become the best in the same profession as them".
At the age of 8 Linda received her violin. "And after a few months I played with André Rieu! Oh well ... played ... André performed with his Maastricht Salon Orchestra in Borgharen, the village where he lived. I was his fan and tried to scrape a few music pieces with him. He asked whether I wanted to make my profession out of it and next he advised against it. "You can not earn a penny with that", he joked. But that was 27 years ago.
Linda persevered, studied violin and viola at the Music Academy and she encouraged others into the profession. She had her own class with 25 young private pupils. She continued studying herself with the goal of playing in a Symphonic Orchestra. "That requires a huge knowledge of techniques, which you can only obtain by practicing very much. Every now and then I would play in such an orchestra".
André Rieu
Eight years ago she started in the Johann Strauss Orchestra with André Rieu. "That was completely different. The music was a lighter style. André wants to touch the people with his music and he wants to loosen up emotions during his
concerts. People are emtionally touched. Often we see tears of happy emotions during his concerts. It is wonderful if you can arouse that. I played a few more times in the Symphonic Orchestra, but I like the JSO better. These musicians obviously have a different way of thinking, and I myself do not experience this as a job ...
"We are no Symphonic Orchestra. We improvise. Arrangements are often created during rehearsals. André has them in mind and he clearly explains, It has to sound like this or that ... During the rehearsals a lot is changed. A concert is growing that way ...Within a short period four different programs are scheduled: Heerenveen, Amsterdam, Heidelberg and Sydney. That means we have to rehearse every morning on the days we don't perform."
She plays in the JSO for 90% of the performances. "We are with 5 viola players, of whom minimal 3 are playing on stage during a concert. So, every now and then I can take a day off. That happens by mutual agreement."
Reincarnatus
Reincarnatus is a project of Joyce Hamers and Renate Dirix. "Renate also played with Rieu and Joyce took care of the video recordings. They left the orchestra in
an amicable way to set up their own group inspired by music from the middle ages. The musical styles from the Middle Ages are translated to present times, with a combination of modern and traditional classical instruments. The group consists of seven female musicians. They asked me to join and I thought it would be an enormous challenge. I participated in a rehearsal and I immediately purchased a fiddle in Rome."
Linda was involved in Reincarnatus from the very beginning. During rehearsals the group developed. "Creating a project together is very exciting. I am one of
the seven band members, but I also play solo's. In the beginning I did not feel at ease, for I am a little bit shy, but my experiences with André Rieu made me feel more free, also in playing classical music. With André we have 60 musicians and one conductor."
"Reincarnatus is good for me to grow. We play everything by heart. The group is also touring abroad and it is exciting to follow that process from the beginning. Dressing is different (tight leather) and the audience is different (trendier, younger)". Linda wouldn't miss Reincarnatus, "I play with them half of the total concerts per year."
Arranging a Lot
There is a lot to arrange to combine the two groups. "Sometimes it happens that I return home from an André Rieu Concert at 4:00 am and four hours later I depart with Reincarnatus. Or, I perform with Reincarnatus in Cologne and immediately afterwards I fly to Toronto for a concert tour with André Rieu, but everything turns out well."
She won't make a choice.
"I really like both orchestra's. The variation is fascinating". Imagine a Reincarnatus break through world wide, just like André Rieu? "No, I don't want to miss anything. I choose to work half and half and I absolutely do not want to leave André.
Imagine, Reincarnatus is invited for a guest performance in an André Rieu Concert?
"Then I would put on my leather suit under my baroque ball gown and at the moment of performance I can have a quick change. Yes, changing clothes would be necessary, for I cannot play André's music in the leather outfit and visa versa".
"At the age of 4, I already wanted to play the violin. But the only thing I got were 'violins' (in English the plant violet) for the garden. My father was the manager
of the Maastricht Music Academy and he played the flute. He did not like parents who wanted their children to become the best in the same profession as them".At the age of 8 Linda received her violin. "And after a few months I played with André Rieu! Oh well ... played ... André performed with his Maastricht Salon Orchestra in Borgharen, the village where he lived. I was his fan and tried to scrape a few music pieces with him. He asked whether I wanted to make my profession out of it and next he advised against it. "You can not earn a penny with that", he joked. But that was 27 years ago.
Linda persevered, studied violin and viola at the Music Academy and she encouraged others into the profession. She had her own class with 25 young private pupils. She continued studying herself with the goal of playing in a Symphonic Orchestra. "That requires a huge knowledge of techniques, which you can only obtain by practicing very much. Every now and then I would play in such an orchestra".
André Rieu
Eight years ago she started in the Johann Strauss Orchestra with André Rieu. "That was completely different. The music was a lighter style. André wants to touch the people with his music and he wants to loosen up emotions during his
concerts. People are emtionally touched. Often we see tears of happy emotions during his concerts. It is wonderful if you can arouse that. I played a few more times in the Symphonic Orchestra, but I like the JSO better. These musicians obviously have a different way of thinking, and I myself do not experience this as a job ..."We are no Symphonic Orchestra. We improvise. Arrangements are often created during rehearsals. André has them in mind and he clearly explains, It has to sound like this or that ... During the rehearsals a lot is changed. A concert is growing that way ...Within a short period four different programs are scheduled: Heerenveen, Amsterdam, Heidelberg and Sydney. That means we have to rehearse every morning on the days we don't perform."
She plays in the JSO for 90% of the performances. "We are with 5 viola players, of whom minimal 3 are playing on stage during a concert. So, every now and then I can take a day off. That happens by mutual agreement."
Reincarnatus
Reincarnatus is a project of Joyce Hamers and Renate Dirix. "Renate also played with Rieu and Joyce took care of the video recordings. They left the orchestra in
an amicable way to set up their own group inspired by music from the middle ages. The musical styles from the Middle Ages are translated to present times, with a combination of modern and traditional classical instruments. The group consists of seven female musicians. They asked me to join and I thought it would be an enormous challenge. I participated in a rehearsal and I immediately purchased a fiddle in Rome."Linda was involved in Reincarnatus from the very beginning. During rehearsals the group developed. "Creating a project together is very exciting. I am one of
the seven band members, but I also play solo's. In the beginning I did not feel at ease, for I am a little bit shy, but my experiences with André Rieu made me feel more free, also in playing classical music. With André we have 60 musicians and one conductor.""Reincarnatus is good for me to grow. We play everything by heart. The group is also touring abroad and it is exciting to follow that process from the beginning. Dressing is different (tight leather) and the audience is different (trendier, younger)". Linda wouldn't miss Reincarnatus, "I play with them half of the total concerts per year."
Arranging a Lot
There is a lot to arrange to combine the two groups. "Sometimes it happens that I return home from an André Rieu Concert at 4:00 am and four hours later I depart with Reincarnatus. Or, I perform with Reincarnatus in Cologne and immediately afterwards I fly to Toronto for a concert tour with André Rieu, but everything turns out well."
She won't make a choice.
"I really like both orchestra's. The variation is fascinating". Imagine a Reincarnatus break through world wide, just like André Rieu? "No, I don't want to miss anything. I choose to work half and half and I absolutely do not want to leave André.
Imagine, Reincarnatus is invited for a guest performance in an André Rieu Concert?
"Then I would put on my leather suit under my baroque ball gown and at the moment of performance I can have a quick change. Yes, changing clothes would be necessary, for I cannot play André's music in the leather outfit and visa versa".
.
Click Here To See More on Linda and Reinccarnatus: ►http://www.reincarnatus.com/nl/member/linda
9/8/05
There were many other votes, but we could only send in the votes that were selections from Denon DVD's. Here is the final list that we sent to them. It's interesting to see the wide range of choices.
1. The Gypsy Baron.Wer Uns Getraut. dvd= 100 years of Strauss
2. "The Rose " with Carmen, Carla, Susanne, on the dvd- Flying Dutchman
3."My Way" from "Live in New York"
4.Komme, Zigany/New Year's in Vienna 2001/2, violin solo
5. The 9e piece : W.A.Mozart. Adagio for violin nr.3 on "Romantic moments"
6."All Men Shall Be Brothers" or "Ode to Joy". on 'Live in Dublin'
7. "Bolero" from the "La Vie Est Belle"
8. Toselli Serenade (DVD Songs from my Heart/Homecoming)
9. Second Waltz (DVD Andre Rieu in Wonderland)
10. Toselli Serenade from Homecoming
11. Toselli Serenade (Homecoming)
12. The Godfather (Tuscany)
13. Nun’s Choir from the Radio City DVD. (Live in NY)
14. Toselli’s Serenade on The Homecoming
15. "Song of the Volga" from the DVD Live in Dublin
16. Where each child lays down his head. This is from the In Wonderland DVD.
17. "Bolero" from "La Vie Est Belle".
18. NUN's CHOIR on the DVD New York.
19. (Bumel Petrus) on the DVD Flying Dutchman.
20. Gadfly, from DVD DREAMING
21. "Funiculi Funicula" on the DVD Andre Rieu "Live at the Royal Albert Hall".
22. ODE TO MAASTRICHT with Benny Neyman from Homecoming
23. The Chianti Song on Homecoming
24. Bolero on Denon DVD Andre' at he Movie
25. "Danube Love" from Denon's DVD "Life Is Beautiful."
26. The Rose" Tuscanny
27. THE GADFLY, from the Dreaming DVD
28. Amazing Grace
29. My favorite DVD piece is Toselli Serenade on the DVD "The Homecoming!"
30. "How The West Was Won" from the Tuscany DVD.
31. Wolgalied from Live in Vienna
32. Wolgalied on Live in Vienna.
33. "Concierto de Aranjuez" from the DVD "The Homecoming".
34. Vienna Blood, from New Year's in Vienna!
35. Bach "Air" - Track #6 on the "Dreaming" DVD.
36. Toselli's Serenade in The Homecoming
37. Titanic in Schonbrunn DVD
38. Toselli Serenade on the Homecoming
39. 'The Last Rose' (Instrumental Version) as in DVD 'Live in Dublin'
40. FEAST OF FIRE from the Schönbrunn DVD
41. The Gadfly from the dvd Dreaming
42. ADALGIO FROM VIOLIN CONCERTO NR.3 ROMANTIC MOMENTS
43. Gadfly from the DVD Dreaming
44. "Concierto de Aranjuez" Homecoming DVD.
45. "My Way" from the Live at Radio City New York
46. "I Got Plenty Of Nuttin" on Wonderland DVD
47. Komm Zigany (From Live in Vienna)
48. 'Opera Potpourri' on Live in Tuscany
49. André Sisters from Live at Albert Hall
50. "Don't Cry For Me Argentina." Radio City Music Hall
51. "Comm Zigany" from New Year's in Vienna.
52. "Marina" from Denon Tuscany DVD.
53. Where each child lays down his head. Wonderland DVD
54. "You Are My Heart's Delight" on Live in Vienna
55. Slumber My Darling from Christmas Around The World
56. Wolgalied" from "Live in Vienna"
57. "The Nun's Choir" on the New York DVD
58. The Last Rose of Summer on Romantic Moments DVD
59. "Concierto de Aranjuez" from the Homecoming DVD.
60. Opera Potpourri from Live in Tuscany
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