Paganini was called "The Devil's Son" and "Witch's Brat" for his demonic and amazing violin virtuosity!  Audiences thought Paganini made a pact with the devil to be able to perform supernatural displays of technique!   Niccolo Paganini was born on October 27, 1782 in Genoa, Italy. Paganini was first given a mandolin and then at the age of 7 a violin to play. He was locked in his room by his father to practice up to 15 hours a day. By 11 years old, Paganini was already performing solos on stage. By 13 years old, Paganini had become an accomplished violin virtuoso and only needed to learn composition. By 19 years old, Paganini was composing and also learned the guitar.   In 1809, at the age of 27, Paganini toured Italy as a violin soloist and began mesmerizing audiences with his brilliant virtuosity. He could perform any music at sight. At the age of 23, Paganini composed the most difficult work for violin ever in the "24 Caprices." For years no other violinists but Paganini were capable of playing this technically demanding work. Paganini also composed 6 violin concertos, sonatas for violin, sonatas for violin and guitar, and the famous "La Streghe" ("Witches' Dance").   Paganini lost his bottom teeth and had an emaciated and pale look which added to the mystic that was building around his virtuosity. He dressed in all black and encouraged people to think that he WAS POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL to be able to perform such supernatural displays of technique! Paganini became famous for his incredible violin techniques, such as performing an entire composition using only the G String (the "Moses Fantasy" for the G String)! Paganini suffered from the disorder "Ehlers-Danlos"- which allowed him more joint mobility in his fingers and from "Marfan Syndrome"-which gave him long limbs and fingers.    Paganini developed and extended the following violin techniques: -Impossible fingerings -Scordatura-the diverse tuning of strings -Double, triple & quadruple stops -Ricochet bowing -Complicated harmonics and double stop harmonics -Multiple trills -Double Stop Octive runs -Right and left hand pizzicato   After performing and mesmerizing audiences for years and becoming the first real rock star, Paganini developed an interest in gambling and opened "The Casino Paganini," which was closed after losing money. Paganini became ill with Larynx cancer and was forced to cancel appearances. Niccolo Paganini, the world's greatest violin virtuoso died in Nice, France in May 27, 1840.