Last year, when the MacArthur “genius” grants were announced, many of the 23 $500,000 grants went to the usual suspects: a neuroscientist, a famous author (Junot Diaz), an economist and a mathematician. But one of the prizes — which recipients may spend however they want — went to a different sort of genius: a craftsman of string instrument bows.
Benoit Rolland creates bows for a significant number of Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians. “The bow is just as important as the violin because that is our breath,” Elita Kang, BSO assistant concert master told NPR. “That’s how we draw the sound out of the instrument, so without a fine bow that’s responsive and flexible and finely made, we can’t express ourselves fully.”
Some of the most famous string instrumentalists of all time swear by Rolland’s bows, including Yehudi Menuhin, Stephane Grapelli and Mstislav Rostropovich. During his four-decade career, Rolland has crafted more than 1,400 bows for violins, violas and cellos.
“He’s revered for his knowledge of traditional bow-making skills but also for his innovations,” says this NPR article. “He pioneered the first concert-grade graphite bow. And his most recent invention is an updated ‘frog’ — the piece on the bow’s end used to adjust tension.”
He plans to pursue other innovations with his grant money. Cool, eh?