Rhett Barnwell has distinguished himself as a composer and arranger of music specifically for the Celtic harp. He is the founder of Seraphim Music, which specializes in sacred, classical and meditative music for the solo lever harp, and harp with voice. His work encompasses hymn arrangements, original compositions and transcriptions of the music of Bach, Handel and others. Although intended for the Celtic or lever harp, all pieces in the Seraphim collection can be played on the pedal harp as well. Seraphim Editions have been sold throughout the U.S. and in Canada, Switzerland and Australia. Mr. Barnwell's recordings were featured at the 2002 International Conference on Healing Music in Athens, Greece. His music is distributed by Lyon and Healy, Virginia Harp Center, Sylvia Woods Harp Center, Melody's Music and other companies.

Mr. Barnwell holds the Bachelor of Music degree, summa cum laude from Florida State University, in French horn performance, with secondary studies in classical harp, cello and organ, and the Master of Music degree in French horn performance from St. Louis Conservatory. He has also pursued Doctoral studies in Choral Conducting, Gregorian chant and organ at the University of Georgia. He has studied Gregorian chant at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome, at Westminster Choir College, and at the Abbey of St. Pierre, Solesmes, France. His harp teachers have included Mary Brigid Roman, Monica Hargrave, Sunita Staneslow, and Ray Pool.

Following a successful career as a French horn player, performing with numerous orchestras in the U.S. and abroad, including the Spoleto Festival Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfonica de Tenerife, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and others, Mr. Barnwell decided to turn his attention the Celtic harp. He has performed in a variety of settings, such as weddings, concerts, hospices, nursing homes, hospitals, funerals, and church liturgies. Mr. Barnwell recently completed a concert tour of Italy with soprano Claire Teuber, performing in Venice, Florence and Rome. He was also a featured performer at the Liturgical Harp Conference in Charleston. He has also appeared at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. He gives harp programs frequently throughout the Southeast, and his music has been featured on television and on the South Carolina Educational Radio Network. Mr. Barnwell also plays the organ and cello professionally, and is featured on the recent recording, "Athena" by renowned pianist George Skaroulis. (View this site)