The New Beaujolais Symphony Orchestra is proud to welcome our first soloist of the concert season, the legendary violin virtuoso Octavio Pennistrato. Mr. Pennistrato is universally celebrated throughout the world as a specialist in both Medieval and 20th Century interpretation. His live performances and recordings of early 15th century rebec works and the complete violin works of Hans Tunder of Lubeck (both on the Viagra-SynthoTech label) have won much praise from concert goers, musical scholars and music critics alike:

"By merely picking up his rebec and tuning, the ladies in the audience sensed the thrill of what was to come. He didn't disappoint!"
---Duluth Times-Union

"Mr. Pennistrato's tonal luminousity transcended time and space, resulting in a virtual black hole of sonorous pulchritude."
---Steven Hawking, renowned physicist

Mr. Pennistrato was born to a family of musicians in the small Tuscan village of Cavofiore, Italy. His musical talent was recognized at an early age when he was able to recreate large sections of Schoenberg's Verklarte Nacht using only a baby spoon and the tray of his high chair. He began his formal studies under master teacher Guiseppe di Puppi at the prestigious Academie al Dente in Florence, winning the School's Maestro Certificate and a performance with the school orchestra.

Upon completion of his academic studies, Mr. Pennistrato embarked on a series of critcally-acclaimed concert tours including previously uncharted areas of Tierra del Fuego in Argentina and military bases in Antarctica. "I can't seriously imagine a region of our planet that couldn't benefit from exposure to early music or 20th century music", he says, "It brings us together, no matter what continent we live on."

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