Simon Maurer grew up in Switzerland in a family of six children, all of whom became professional musicians. He studied music at the Conservatory in Biel, and continued his violin studies in the U.S. with Geoffrey Michaels at Swarthmore College and Joyce Robbins at the State University of New York at Stoneybrook.
Mr. Maurer is an accomplished musician performing chamber music, solo and orchestra concerts throughout the eastern United States and Switzerland. He is currently Concertmaster of the Schuylkill Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Concertmaster of the Pennsylvania Sinfonia, and performs with Valley Vivaldi, and Satori. He has performed as feature soloist in France and Switzerland with the St. Jean Orchestra of Geneva Switzerland, receiving rave reviews.
A founding member of Gabriel Chamber Ensemble, www.gabrielensemble.org, he has performed with the ensemble throughout North Eastern and Central Pennsylvania for 19 years and is artistic director at their concert series at Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Schuylkill Haven. Committed to performance and education, the group takes pride in bringing classical music to underserved areas, and makes efforts to have music outreach in the schools.
As the violinist in the Ravel Trio, a piano trio in existence since 2003, he has done extensive work in the mid-Atlantic region and Europe with concerts, residencies, collaborations with dancers, jazz events, wine concerts and much more. For more information of this exciting group, check the website: www.raveltrio.com. In 2007 the group has commissioned three new pieces. The Ravel Trio is on the roster of Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour.
In 2007 he joined the Moravian String Quartet on Viola, a newly found love! The group is in residence at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa.
Mr. Maurer also ventures in the practice of jazz and free style improvisation. He has been a featured soloist in Philadelphia area jazz clubs, has performed at "Jazzfest" in Schuylkill County. He has recorded numerous projects with folk singers and rock groups: Maggie Pierce and EJ; Zen for Primates, and others.
Mr. Maurer teaches violin, viola, cello and bass at the Blue Mountain Academy and in his private studio in rural Schuylkill County, and is on the string faculty at the Pennsylvania Academy of Music in Lancaster where he also conducts a student orchestra and performs and teaches annually in the summer festival "Vivace".
Simon lives on a converted 20 acre Boy Scout camp, where he built his own 2000 square foot concert hall and enjoys the outdoors. Tennis is the preferred exercise. He has two lovely granddaughters!