Final Fantasy

When the rest of the world was learning to play "Minuet" in third-grade Intro to Violin, Owen Pallett was nowhere near the strings. Instead, he played piano and studied composition before teaching himself violin after college. Yet strings instructors should still cite Pallett as impetus to practice: His solo symphony project, Final Fantasy, is a heart-wrenching arrangement of weeping violin lines, capricious string plucking and fanciful lyricism. Pallett, who has co-written string arrangements for the Arcade Fire and the Hidden Cameras, supplements his albums with the occasional drum or keyboard. But on tour, he journeys solo with his trusty violin and loop pedal. Given Pallett's musical and manual dexterity, Final Fantasy is an unparalleled experience both visually and aurally.