**By Lucy Chesterton
The virtuoso is using his music to ease the sorrow of our bushfire victims.**
Dutch music master André Rieu is helping Australians rebuild their shattered lives in the wake of Black Saturday by donating all proceeds from his new song Yours Forever to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Fund.
“When you are on the other side of the world and you see people suffering in Australia, a country you love, it gives you the feeling that you cannot do anything to help,” André tells Woman’s Day.
“When I learned of the bushfires in Australia, I wanted to jump in a plane and come to your side and fight.
“But all I can do is make music, and so I hope that the music I give you now will help the people who are suffering.”
Like so many others around the world, André was overcome with emotion at the thought of the tragic deaths that have devastated Australian families over the past two weeks.
Never before had stories of heartbreak and heroism moved the musician so deeply as when the first reports of Black Saturday emerged in his homeland of Holland.
And in the great Aussie tradition of helping your mates when the chips are down, the big-hearted star was moved to write a song in support of the bushfire victims who are now struggling to rebuild their lives in the land he considers his “second home”.
“This is the first time I have ever donated my music to a relief fund like this,” he says.
“I hope people will follow my example and do whatever they are able to do to help.
“If something happens to me, or you, I am sure we would like to be helped also.”
All proceeds from André’s “uplifting” instrumental track will be donated to the Red Cross, which will also provide support to victims of the recent Queensland floods.
Given André’s enormous popularity in Australia, it’s hoped his generous decision to donate all proceeds from Yours Forever will mean relief for large numbers of Aussie families.
But donations aside, André is a believer in the healing powers of music itself, having relied on songs to help him through times of trouble.
“I myself took a lot of comfort from music when I was sad or when something went wrong,” André says.
Happily married for more than 30 years to Marjorie, and devoted to his two sons, André also knows the importance of family and can understand the devastation of losing a loved one.
“My heart goes out to you all,” he says. “All of my feelings are with you who are suffering, all of my thoughts are with you, and all of my heart is with you.
“Have all of the courage you can.”
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