Our Owners
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David and Mary Jane D'Arville: Owners of AHC & VHC After successfully opening 2 harp retail stores in the Mid-Atlantic region, owners David and Mary Jane D’Arville realized a need for the harp community in the Southeast region. Atlanta Harp Center opened its doors in Alpharetta, Georgia in 2007 and has been proudly serving the harp community since then. We offer the largest selection of harps in the South by some of the finest lever and pedal harp makers in the world including Camac, Dusty Strings, Lyon & Healy, and Salvi. Our commitment to providing the highest quality customer service to harpists everywhere is reflected by our knowledgeable, friendly and ever-helpful AHC staff. |
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Why buy from us?
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Our Staff
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Katherine Cook: Manager Katherine Cook is a graduate of Kennesaw State University where she studied clarinet performance. She has performed internationally in China and South Korea and studied abroad at Hanyang University in South Korea with clarinetist Changhee Lee from the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. A resident of Metro-Atlanta, Katherine has taught clarinet lessons in the Forsyth County area and enjoys arranging classical works for clarinet ensemble in her free time. She is excited to continue her journey on the harp and to share her passion for music in all its forms. |
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David Paul Raaen: Assistant Manager A native of Georgia, David began his musical studies on the piano at age 4. He then began playing the harp at age 13, and studied with Calista Koch, Nella Rigell and Ellen Heinicke Foster. In 2002, David spent time in Russia working in orphanages and playing the harp. An avid teacher, David has produced a number of performing harpists over the years from his studio. In addition to solo recitals, he has also performed for numerous weddings, church services and with orchestral ensembles.
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Rhett Barnwell: Composer-in-Residence Rhett Barnwell is a composer, arranger and performer, and the founder of Seraphim Music, which publishes sacred, classical and meditative music for lever and pedal harp. He has concertized extensively in the United States and in Rome, Venice, and Florence, Italy, and Ireland. A specialist in classical and sacred music for the lever harp, he has been in demand as a presenter and performer at conferences such as the Southeastern Harp Conference, Somerset Folk Harp Festival, Harp Journeys, Beginning in the Middle, Harp Gathering and others. He has organized biannual Liturgical Harp Conferences since 2007. He has given workshops and concerts for American Harp Society Chapters in Washington, D. C., Minneapolis, Nashville and New Orleans, and is regularly commissioned to write new works. Mr. Barnwell earned a Master of Music degree from St. Louis Conservatory and did post-graduate Doctoral study at the University of Georgia. In addition to the harp, he also plays the cello, French horn, and organ, and has performed with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfonica de Tenerife, AIMS Festival Orchestra in Austria, South Carolina Philharmonic, Charleston Symphony, and other orchestras. He has served as a Director of Music and Organist for churches in the Southeastern U. S. since 1983.
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Kristina Finch: Social Media Manager Versatile and flexible in all settings Dr. Kristina Finch, harpist (Hattiesburg, MS) is constantly striving to connect with new and diverse audiences using classical training and a passion for popular music to defy expectations and expand perceptions of the harp. Kristina performs with ensembles throughout the United States, included the Nu Deco Ensemble, Miami City Ballet, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, and as second harpist with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Kristina is a visual artist, entrepreneur, Harp Mastery Certified Coach, harp faculty at the University of Southern Mississippi, former host/creator of the “Harp Column Podcast,” and new social media manager for the Atlanta Harp Center.
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Julie Koenig: Harpist-in-Residence According to legend, Julie Koenig was the Atlanta Harp Center's first customer. These days she works part-time at the store filling orders for strings and music, tuning showroom harps, restringing consignments, and recording audio clips. Julie is an Atlanta-based harpist with repertoire ranging from classical to contemporary music. An Ohio native, she began playing professionally with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra as a teenager. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Harp Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. After freelancing in Miami, she moved to Atlanta and became principal harpist with the Georgia Symphony, DeKalb Symphony and Gwinnett Symphony orchestras, and is a regular sub for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Julie has also played the harp in Rome, Vienna and Paris. She performs with several Atlanta area choral groups and has played for thousands of weddings. In her spare time, Julie can usually be found attending an Atlanta Braves game or rooting for the Cincinnati Bengals. |
