Many of you know my wife Christine Arveil's artwork. I am happy to announce the large coming up exhibition of her latest work in Portugal. Please view the pdf, and visit the show!

From Benoit:

“In 2009, the world engaged in a dynamic of hope, energy for changes, but also economic strains. In many ways, art takes a stand towards society and environment. Bow making, as I envision and practice it, tel que je le vis, plays its part in the movement - and no part is too small when it comes to draw a hyphen to the future.

Bow making is concerned with the unaltered beauty of performing arts, the availability of music to many, and our natural environment (we traditionally use an endangered wood). Contrastingly, bow making is also tied to the vagaries of speculation. The eagerness to trade ancient bows at always-higher profits has consequences. We inherited a patrimony of bows made by great makers in the 19th and early 20th century that is fragile and meaningful. It witnessed history and defined musical expression.

To conceive of the bow as primarily a great financial asset has often helped preserving them, but also incited makers and traders to marry parts in order to maximize a profit. I see fewer and fewer genuine bows with their main original parts together. Bear in mind that each time a different frog is fitted to a stick, the musical character of the bow is affected.

I will personally keep the stand that has defined my work since it’s beginning: creation. No retail, no trade. Particularly in a world which tries to redefine its values, I will remain committed to three guide lines: sell what I make with my hands, study the greatest bows of the past enough to be able to reproduce their findings, and use my expertise and research to continue proposing alternative bows of the highest musical quality.

Although my personal inclination matches the solitude and concentration that my work imposes, I will not achieve any of these goals alone. Each bow that I make is a response to music and to the particular playing style of a musician. My recent Signature line would not exist without a bow that Kittel made 150 years ago and without Vadim Repin’s demand, or the unfailing and warm support of Miriam Fried. The interest in my work that show Lynn Harrell, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and other great musicians is always an opportunity for new questions to solve, new research.

In matter of innovation, I am committed to a love for nature (now called “environment”) and curiosity for science: I keep collecting data from traditional bows, but am also currently prototyping a new kind of bow. Incentive for innovation in bow making owes to a tradition of making. “Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt” with my previous invention of the Spiccato bow, as American fans say! Therefore I must conclude that the new invention might not reach musicians unless it finds a sure patronage.

In 2008, Benoit Rolland signed the first of a new line of pernambuco bows. His new concept emerged from a stimulating dialogue with Vadim Repin; these bows offer an extended playing and sound potential. Benoit will make only a few Signature bows; they complement the wide range of playing styles that the Rolland bows already proposed. Benoit signs each of these rare bows with his hand engraved signature in addition to the branded mark, a feature that is a first in the history of bow making.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of a Swiss mécène who recently commissioned 3 Signature gold mounted bows and offered one of them to Rudolf Koelman in memory of Yasha Heifetz.

In March 2009, Sothesby’s London auctioned 4 Rolland bows as part of the estate of a collector; the gold mounted violin bow made by Benoit in 1987 broke a record: for the first time on the international auction market, a modern bow was reaching a higher value than bows from Sartory and FN Voirin.

Parallel to this breakthrough in traditional making, Benoit continued prototyping a new innovative. This ground breaking new bow pursues 4 goals: offering a new range for professional playing; making strings playing more accessible to students; preserving the environment. As Benoit works alone and with his own resources only while serving every day the performer's pressing demands, such innovative bow will reach musicians when a mécène will help its creation.

The Entente Internationale des Luthiers et Archetiers, a selective professional convention, gathers every two years masters violin and bow makers. The EILA retains its original name, but is successively headed by presidents from different countries. EILA’s current president is Mr. Paul Schuback (Portland, OR, USA). Meetings discuss all aspects of violin and bow making and their conservation. This year, Benoit Rolland spoke of his unique technique of designing bows for the individual playing style of a musician.

European visits:

Benoit Rolland will visit musicians in Germany in June 2009 (Munich, Nuremberg, Kohln and Hambourg) and Norway in August 2009 (Oslo) .