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.