The idea of The Violinists of the Pieta sprang from the tradition of the
Venetian Ospedale della Pieta, an orphanage that housed some of the
finest musicians in Europe. The piece is in three movements following
the form of a concerto grosso, influenced by the style of Monteverdi and
Vivaldi. The music tells a story of the orphans' lives, as they grow up
in the jostling city, eventually finding freedom through their musical
abilities.