simon rovis-hermann luthier

ABOUT THE LUTHIER - FULL BIO

Simon in the Workshop

Simon started making guitars at an early age. He repaired instruments while still at high school, making his first instrument at the age of 15. His upbringing in wood working from his father had a strong influence in his creativity. Simon’s love of learning to play the guitar was soon engulfed with the desire to unravel its mystery. It was his most influential guitar teacher Brian Black that ignited Simon’s passion of the classical guitar by encouraging him to purchase a concert instrument. This so happened to be an early Richard Howell guitar, known for his Fleta inspired work. Simon learned to perform on this instrument and it was an inspiration in itself.

Whilst studying performance at the Conservatorium of Western Australia, Simon began building concert guitars. He graduated in 1992 with a Diploma of Performing Arts and in 1995 received a Bachelor of Music Education. Since that time Simon has traveled overseas visiting prominent guitar makers and dealers in Spain, UK, USA, France and Japan including attending the 1998 Guild of American Lutherie convention in Tacoma CA, and has been steadily building his reputation as a fine craftsman.

Simon Rovis-Hermann with Daniel Freiderich

Simon is the first Australian luthier to be awarded a three month artist residency at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris by the Australia Council for the Arts in 2002. Here he visited renowned French Luthiers Daniel Friederich and Dominique Field, and met prominent French guitarist Roland Dyens and Rafael Andia. Simon had the opportunity to study a fine Robert Bouchet guitar at the Museum of Music in Paris and undertake acoustic experiments at the Laboratoire d'Acoustique Musicale with the help of Charles Besnainou. The influence of Daniel Friederch has made a big impact on Simon’s work by bringing into focus many qualitative aspects of guitar construction.

Simon has many great musicians playing and performing on his instruments. Among them is the great Czech guitarist Pavel Steidl, Perth guitarist Alan Banks and Duo Lenz. The Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp has used one of Simon’s Lacote’ copy guitars in concert at the Darwin International guitar festival in 2005. New Zealand guitarist; Matthew Marshall, also performs on a Rovis-Hermann Lacote’ copy. Rovis-Hermann guitars are steadily gaining popularity among top performers, the latest of which is Australia's leading female guitarist Karin Schaupp.