Posted on: September 8, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

heir name—Destino—translates to destiny in Italian and Spanish, and indeed the golden tenor voices of Canadians Paul Ouellette, Joey Niceforo and Hans Munoz were meant to meet. The classical crossover trio calls their sound “popera with a soul infusion,” a unique blend of soaring operatic vocals, pop licks and contemporary R&B swagger. Their stirring sell-out performances have left audiences of all ages and musical persuasions ecstatic, and Destino’s 2008 debut album, Forte, with its stirring, multilingual vocals and wide range of emotion and expression, has received numerous rave reviews.

Forte, recorded in Vancouver between the spring of 2007 and spring 2008, is their first widely available commercial CD, and it will be released in the US on October 13 by AAO Music/Reality. On Forte, Ouellette and Niceforo, along with previous member Leon Leontaridis (who subsequently left the group to devote more time to his family), take on a range of material that brilliantly showcases their breathtaking vocal talents and dramatic, romantic flair. Among the highlights are “Show Me the Way Back to You,” written by the legendary tunesmith Diane Warren, “L’Hymne a L’Amour,” made famous originally by the great Edith Piaf, “I’l Canto,” one of Pavarotti’s last studio recordings, and “Someday,” a timeless Disney favorite.

Destino’s destiny first manifested itself in early 2006. Originally a quartet, the group evolved out of a popular ensemble called the Canadian Tenors. Destino performed their first gig in July of that year and have since toured widely, including a high-profile stop at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. They’ve performed for charities such as the Children’s Miracle Network, at the Miss America Pageant, and on tour with the Rankin Family. Destino will return to the U.S. in November.

Destino:

Paul Ouellette-Studied piano and violin as a child but didn’t start singing until he was 21. He studied at the Vancouver Academy of Music.

Joey Niceforo-The product of a French and Italian background he started singing at 16. Joey has performed in operas in Canada, the United States, Italy and the Czech Republic.

Hans Munoz-Destino’s newest member, Hans was born in Mexico and raised in Canada, and began singing professionally by the age of 15.

Destino’s pop sensibility makes opera fun and accessible–bridging the unfamiliar with the familiar. As Joey puts it, “We are here to make music that inspires and simply makes you feel good.”

www.destino3.com

www.aaomusic.com

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