Vito's interest in the violin began around age 6 when his family attended the family concerts at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. At age 7, his family rented his first violin and he began taking lessons at a local music shop. He studied classical music exclusively until age 14 when he started playing with the band at Trinity Harbor Presbyterian, where his family attended services. Through this, he d...
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Vito's interest in the violin began around age 6 when his family attended the family concerts at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. At age 7, his family rented his first violin and he began taking lessons at a local music shop. He studied classical music exclusively until age 14 when he started playing with the band at Trinity Harbor Presbyterian, where his family attended services. Through this, he discovered the wonderful world of improvisation. Having grown up listening to classic rock with his father, he loved improvised solos and melodies and quickly found an affinity for the craft. He continued to explore this new avenue of making music through his college years at Southern Methodist University. He graduated in 2012 with a degree in classical music and a minor in Italian area studies.
Months after graduation, Vito auditioned and was chosen for his first full-time professional gig: the Zane WIlliams Band. With Zane, he traveled throughout Texas for a year, honing his craft and discovering the the state's vibrant music scene. In early 2013, Vito followed his college sweetheart (who graciously married him in January, 2015) to Los Angeles, CA, where he switched gears and started playing predominantly Celtic music with bands like The Ploughboys, Whiskey Sunday, and the Brilliant Gypsies, in addition to playing for Lilian Garcia, The Draw, Everly Snodgrass, and a variety of other projects. Though his Country roots are still strong, Vito continually pushes himself to learn new styles, having played Gypsy Jazz, Bulgarian wedding tunes, Egyptian folk music, and many others in addition to Country, Celtic, Bluegrass, and Classical.
You can check out videos of his improvisation on his instagram page, @thechippedfiddle.
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