His family then relocated to the United States, spending time in New York City before finally settling in Los Angeles. While there, Viola sang professionally as a boy soprano; when his voice changed, he shifted his focus to art. He returned to New York to attend the Tisch School of the Arts and studied to be a film director. During this time, Viola discovered the composers Bartók, Shostakovich, and Stravinsky, which led to an interest in Benjamin Britten, Mozart, and Alfred Schnittke. He was also influenced by electronic acts such as Boards of Canada and Amon Tobin, which would combine with his classical interests to inform his own compositions. After graduation, Viola pursued a career in editing and animation design, allowing him the money to build his own home recording studio. In 2004, one of his songs was licensed for use in the Jonathan Demme film The Manchurian Candidate. Soon after, Viola made his first music video for one of his compositions, "The Sad Song." The video debuted on the Internet and caught the attention of Roger Ebert, Massive Attack, and Neil Gaiman, among others. Viola signed with French independent label Because Music in 2006 and made plans to release his debut album in 2008. ~ Katherine Fulton