Virtuosic showpieces, romantic tenor arias, gypsy pyrotechniques and
a World Accordion Champion – this is Quartetto Gelato.
Where music meets theatre and audiences are taken on an
unforgettable musical journey!
For over a decade, this dazzling ensemble has enchanted
audiences and critics worldwide with their exotic blend
of musical virtuosity, artistic passion, and charismatic
anecdotes. Classical in training – eclectic by design
– Quartetto Gelato not only thrills its audiences
with its multi-instrument mastery, but also offers the bonus
of a brilliant operatic tenor. With a performance repertoire
that travels the globe including classical masterworks,
operatic arias, the sizzling energy of tangos, gypsy and
folk songs, the group’s theatrical stage presence
and relaxed humor establishes an intimate rapport with audiences
worldwide.
Quartetto Gelato established themselves as dominant forces
on the music scene early in their career by winning the
coveted title of NPR Performance Today’s Debut Artist
of the Year. The selection panel concluding the quartet
was “an amazing ensemble that achieves the nearly
impossible: they play salon music with real style and classical
music with real precision; Great chops and a commitment
in all that they play.” In 2007, the group’s
first DVD Quartetto Gelato: A Concert in Wine Country! was
picked up by PBS throughout the U.S. for broadcast. Recent
concerts have included performances with the Toronto and
Quebec symphonies, as well as prestige engagements including
the Toronto Luminato Arts Festival, the Calgary Moziac Festival,
and the “4X4” Festival in Binghampton, NY.
Quartetto Gelato is regularly heard on CBC, Classical 96.3
FM, NPR, PRI, and NUR networks. Their Concert in Wine Country
DVD is seen regularly on PBS. Their seven CDs have sold
over 150,000 units to date and they have been featured on
the Hollywood soundtrack “Only You.”
Always active in the recording studio, Quartetto Gelato
has just recorded its seventh CD “Musica Latina”
featuring music of Latin America. The public release is
scheduled for the spring of 2009. Previously, QG released
“Quartetto Gelato Travels the Orient Express”
celebrating the original journey of the famous luxury train
and featuring music from London to Istanbul. Since the release
in spring of 2004, the recording has met with extensive
critical and public acclaim. The previous recordings, which
have played a significant role in the group’s increasing
popularity, are “Neapolitan Café”, “Aria
Fresca”, “Rustic Chivalry”, and their
debut recording, simply entitled “Quartetto Gelato”.
The latter two CDs have literally been heard around the
world, since they accompanied Canadian astronaut, Dr. Robert
Thirsk, during his NASA flight on board the space shuttle
Columbia in 1997.
Quartetto Gelato Duo
Classical tenor and virtuoso violinist Peter De Sotto is
excited to be collaborating with 4 Time World Champion accordionist
and pianist Alexander Sevastion to form a unique and thoroughly
entertaining duo. The pairing of these two seasoned performers
will take you on a musical journey around the world - with
personal anecdotes that will have everyone laughing out
loud. Their eclectic repertoire ranges from Neapolitan favourites,
to Opera arias, Irish folk songs, all the way to the American
jazz classics. Instrumentally the two will leave you breathless
with their pyrotechnical wizardry on multi-instruments including
violin, voice, mandolin, accordion, bandoneon, and grand
piano. Every audience will be screaming for more Duo Gelato!
Corporate Engagements/Fundraisers
• Canadian Plumbing and Heating
• National Ballet Gala
• Panasonic Convention/Winter Olympics
• ALS - Lou Gehrig's fundraiser
• Variety Club Fundraiser
• United Nations Environmental Conference
• Community for Assisted living fundraiser
• Stage for AIDS
• St. Anne’s Church Art Collection fundraiser
• Villla Charities Fundraiser
• La Jeunesse Choir Fundraiser
• Fundraiser for Homeless
• National Public Radio Conference
• Hamilton Opera Fundraiser
What People are Saying
" Not only is Peter an amazing violinist capable
of playing any style of music convincingly but he has one
of the most gorgeous voices I have ever heard. I couldn’t
believe any one person could possess that much talent.”
-- Glenn Dicterow, Concert Master. New York Philharmonic
"Light programming, like comedy,
is serious business. Quartetto Gelato has the stuff. Dry humor and occasional
clowning are part of the quartet’s
arsenal, yet first it meets the requisite virtues of skilled music-making.
Its pleasure-giving is consistent."
-- Los Angeles Times
"Equal parts of musicianship, showmanship and what might be called "laughmanship" marked
the lively quartet's witty, wide-ranging program."
-- Des Moines Register
"5 out of 5 stars"
-- Rick Phillips, “Sound Advice” CBC Radio 2
"If there were ever a group of musicians that could
make anyone feel at home with classical music, Quartetto
Gelato is it."
-- Newsday (NY)
"Equal parts of musicianship, showmanship and what
might be called "laughmanship" marked the lively
quartet's witty, wide-ranging program."
-- Des Moines Register
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