The musicians of Penn Strings have been performing vibrant, live music in the Pocono region for almost fifteen years. Our style is a fusion of old and new— with fresh, innovative instrumental sounds ranging from Classical to the newest pop hits... all performed on string traditional stringed instruments such as violin, viola, and cello.

Think: if Mozart formed a band with Lady Gaga, and frequently collaborated with The Weeknd... that is Penn Strings! After the recent surge in popularity of string groups like The Vitamin String Quartet and the Hampton Rock String Quartet, audiences have come to enjoy and appreciate this unique blend of acoustic fusion.

Penn Strings began when principle violinist, Chris Souza and cellist, Aggie Rybska made a connection while playing in a local community orchestra. The desire for a more intimate sound led them to start playing duets together. Starting with classical compositions, the pair quickly expanded to include more modern pieces in their jam sessions. With Aggie's experience playing in a rock band and Chris' background of playing shows with popular artists and touring orchestras allowed them to explore pop music with ease. Soon they were performing their own arrangements of contemporary hits at weddings and public events.

Fast forward a few years... The calendar was full and the inbox was out of control! It was clear that Penn Strings needed help on the front end to handle communication, contracts, and scheduling. Chris happened to met wedding officiant, Susanne Wilson while working at a ceremony together.  Chris immediately knew with Susanne’s personal, client-centered approach that she would be the perfect fit for the Penn Strings team. She eagerly stepped into the role of "first responder" and has successfully balanced all Penn Strings communication as well as her duties as an officiant ever since.

More bookings required more musician; our next step was expanding the ensemble! Thankfully, Eastern Pennsylvania is rich with musical talent. Using connections in the local orchestral scene, we invited additional players who we knew would bring our classical/pop fusion repertoire to life. Additional when occasions call for larger ensembles, we also work with a number of gifted pianists, guitarists and vocalists. We consider ourselves extremely lucky to have such an extensive list of talented, reliable musicians who are now members of the Penn Strings team. Through the last fifteen years of service, playing hundreds of events, Penn Strings has delivered superior excellence in musicianship to each performance. Though you might find a number of quality string groups out there, we’re pretty sure you won’t find one who has as much fun as we do!