Does General Hospital star Giovanni Mazza really play violin? Here’s what you need to know after Gio’s spectacular performance

Gio Palmieri performed at the General Hospital's 2025 Nurses Ball on May 21, 2025, to a packed audience. As such, fans wondered, does Gio really play the violin? Gio is currently embroiled in a twisting parentage storyline. He is blissfully unaware that Camillia is not his biological mother. A secret held long by Lois, Lulu is intent on exposing it.

Giovanni Mazza plays Gio Palmieri on General Hospital. He joined the soap in May 2024 and plays the orphaned character related to Lois Cerullo. However, soon he will play a central role in the Lulu-Dante-Brook Lynn triangle in the upcoming episodes.

To answer the titular question, yes, Giovanni Mazza is a violinist and guitar player, besides being an actor.

Meanwhile, suspense regarding disclosures of various secrets will continue on General Hospital, a long-running ABC daily soap that presents the complicated lives of Port Charles residents.

---

A glance at Giovanni Mazza: Does Gio really play the violin?

Giovanni Mazza is an American entertainer with Italian roots. As such, he holds dual citizenship for both the US and Italy. Born in May 2005, Mazza was raised in the Midwest where he attended public school while playing sports, and pursuing music and acting.

He started playing the violin when he was as young as three. However, he was about seven when he decided to start acting.

His musical talent was discovered when he was nine. The 2015 Chicago Bulls Youth Talent Search was his first platform to perform a violin medley.

Next year, as a 10-year-old, Mazza performed at the 2016 NBA All-Star Game at Toronto's Air Canada Centre. He was the star performer at the intermission of the Rising Stars Challenge.

Over the years, he played his instrument at other games, including at Staples Centre in LA, for the NBA All-Stars Saturday Night Dunk Contest of 2018, and another NBA All-Stars Saturday Night Dunk Contest held at Chicago's United Centre in 2020.

He also performed at Major League Games and in almost 35 NBA games.

His acting career graduated towards television. He appeared in popular shows like Chicago Fire and Bella and the Bulldogs before joining the cast of General Hospital.

---

General Hospital: More about Gio's story arc

Mazza's Gio is at the centre of a soon-to-be-exposed secret on GH. While introduced to the fans as the orphaned nephew of Lois Cerullo, Gio made friends with Emma, Trina and Joss.

He identified with Dante on the basis that the latter discovered his biological father later in life.

He was shown to share a good rapport with Brook Lynn as they found a common love for music. As expected, he was meant to be one of the star performers for the Nurses Ball 2025.

On Wednesday's episode, dated May 21, 2025, Gio performed Glow, a Giovanni Mazza original, on the stage, on the violin.

While everyone appreciated his performance, Brook Lynn pressured Dante into accepting that Gio's talent needed discipline and hard work.

Meanwhile, Lulu took Lois aside, and laid out her acquired information. She insisted that the latter come clean about Gio's parentage.

As the General Hospital spoilers suggest, Gio may soon learn about his biological parents.

While Lulu may feel empowered with knowledge and justified in revealing the truth to Dante, she will likely destroy the peace of many Port Charles residents in her path.

Dante Falconeri will be shocked to know that the person he was holding responsible for his son Rocco's poisoning is his eldest son. He may be furious with BLQ for hiding her pregnancy.

At the same time, BLQ will be stunned to know that the cousin she saw grow up before her was, in reality, her son. Whether Gio will be happy to know his parents remains to be seen.

---

Stay tuned to General Hospital to find out Gio's reaction after his parentage reveal.