Harry Vatiliotis: The violin maker aiming for 800 hundred violins before he retires

Australia honored Harry Vatiliotis in the Queen's birthday for his services as luthier. Mr Vatiliotis talked to SBS Greek about his love of the violin and his first years in Australia, having arrived to the country from Cyprus.

Maria and Harry Vatiliotis as seen in a documentary produced for SBS Source: SBS

Harry (Charalambos) Vatiliotis hails from the village Vatili in Cyprus. In 1952, at the age of 16, his family moved to Australia and he never returned to the Mediterenean island. His village is now on the side of Cyprus which is under Turkish occupation. 

''I find the idea a bit depressing really. I've seen pictures of the village and I can't recognise anything. They tore the houses down and rebuilt them'' he said.

Archived footage of Harry Vatiliotis produced for SBS Source: SBS

Having arrived in Australia, the young Harry followed his father's advice and became part of the Australian society. Initially he was working in the railway lines in Eveleigh.

''I wanted to be a machinist but I was only here for six months and I couldn't pass the entry exam'', he said to SBS Greek. Things changed when he found and repaired a small violin. Harry found that he enjoyed the sound so he decided to make a full-sized violin from scratch. His first stop was at the library where he read books on how to go about it. A colleague of his at the railway told him to seek out renowned Arthur Edward Smith, show him his work and ask him for a job.

According to the National Museum of Australia, ''Smith (1880–1978) is widely regarded as the most important violin maker in Australia''. Young Harry did so and in 1953, at the age of 17, started his apprenticeship under Smith. 

Decades later, Mr Vatiliotis is a luthier in his own right, and recently was honored as a Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday.

''It was something unexpected. My brother, who is a journalist, and the one who nominated me, pestered me for two years to give him information for my nomination''.  

During his career, Mr Vatiliotis has made 793 violins, with 3 more to be completed soon.  

''My goal is to make 800. After that I can retire and make three or four a year, just to keep in touch with the musical fraternity'' he said.

Press Play to hear the interview with Harry Vatiliotis.

Archived footage of Harry and Maria Vatiliotis produced for SBS Source: SBS