Raised in Jacksonville, Illinois, Devon’s musical training began at a young age with piano and voice lessons. She began harp study during high school at the age of 15 with Alice Spero Keene at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. Subsequent teachers have included Beatriz Martin-Ruiz, Suzann Davids, and Dr. Erin Ponto Freund.
She has performed with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and the Musical Society of Nigeria as a featured soloist, and with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Sangamon Valley Civic Orchestra, Bradley University Chorale (including on a European tour), Valparaiso Symphony Orchestra, Opera Illinois, Valparaiso University Chorale, and the Bradley University New Music Ensemble. Devon is a member of the American Harp Society, the World Harp Congress, and the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA).
After attending Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, Devon transferred to Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. She graduated from Valparaiso magna cum laude in 2001 with a BA in Music and in 2005 with MA in Liberal Studies (History Concentration).
In 2009, 2012, 2023, and 2024, she was invited back to her hometown to present solo recitals for the Jacksonville Public Library’s Under the Dome concert series. In 2010, she attended the American Harp Society National Conference in Tacoma, Washington.
From 2013 through 2014, was hired to work in Mumbai, India, and was highly sought after for performances throughout the country, including playing Bollywood hits on the harp (sometimes even in a giant bubble!).
In 2015 and 2016, she lived in Lagos, Nigeria, where she played frequently for the events at the Irish Consulate in that city and the Irish Embassy in Abuja. In May of 2016, she partnered with Tunde Jegede, kora virtuoso, and the Musical Society of Nigeria for the world premiere of the New Horizons African Ballet.
Having returned to the United States, she is again an active freelance performer throughout the Midwest and around the world, providing harp music for wedding ceremonies, receptions, corporate functions, memorials, concerts, and other events.
Recent engagements include a series of performances for the Gulf Brands Expo in Dammam, Saudi Arabia and high-end weddings in Cambodia, Mexico, France, Trinidad, the British Virgin Islands, and The Bahamas. She can also be found as a featured performer on a luxury cruise line.
She is the owner of The Music Factory in Springfield, Illinois, a studio offering Musikgarten music and movement classes for children from birth through age ten, and advanced musicianship classes and private lessons for older children, teens, and adults.
Her private teaching studio includes harp & piano students of all ages and levels, and she was the founding director of the South Bend Harp Ensemble. She served as the President and Vice President of her local chapter of the Music Teachers National Association.
“Hi Devon! I just wanted to send you a heartfelt thank you from Jon and I for your beautiful music at our wedding. You did an amazing job, and I can’t thank you enough for playing our song during the ceremony. It could not have been more perfect. We had many compliments on how amazing the music was, and how nice it was to sit outside and listen. It meant the world to us!”
“I wanted to say thank you so much for making our day extra special with your beautiful music. Everything was so beautiful and personal and the guests loved the ambiance that you helped create.”
“Thank you so so much for making our wedding day absolutely perfect. I am forever appreciative. It was the best day of our lives!! I’m obsessing over everything still and wishing I could start the day over!”
“I would recommend Devon to anyone looking for music for their event. She played at our wedding. She was responsive and worked with us to ensure our music was perfect. She was very kind and I even picked songs that were not part of her main list. She showed up ahead of time and I knew I could depend on her. Thank you so much for making our day so memorable!! Numerous of our guests also commented on how lovely of a touch the harpist was to our ceremony.”
“Thank you for coming to play for my granddaughter’s wedding. The music was absolutely beautiful.”
“I wanted to thank you again for playing for our first Brown Bag this Advent. I was the most peaceful concert I have attended. I loved your selections, you played some of my favorite carols. It was just a beautiful concert in a lovely venue. Thank you again.”