About Us
COURTNEY VEGA KING (VIOLIN)
Courtney Vega King began her studies at age six and has enjoyed playing the violin since the early 1990s. In her formative years Ms. Vega King participated in various honorary orchestras and selective music programs including the Governor's Honors Program with a major in music, the Georgia Philharmonic, Cobb County Honors Orchestra, Georgia All-State Orchestra, and Georgia State University Honors Orchestra.
While earning her bachelor’s degree at Emory University, Courtney
served as assistant principal second violin with the Emory Symphony Orchestra, led by Pulitzer-nominated composer and conductor Richard Prior. In her performances with the symphony she has had the opportunity to be featured in a PBS special as well as to play at New York's Lincoln Center.
Courtney is deeply indebted to her wonderful teachers, including Lisa Yancich, member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Oliver Steiner, a twenty-year faculty member of the Eastman School of Music, and various members of the Vega String Quartet, an internationally known quartet in residence at Emory University.
Ms. Vega King is currently pursuing graduate studies in violin performance at the University of Georgia. Her instructors and mentors include Levon Ambartsumian, Shakhida Azimkhodjaeva, and Valerie Gardner.
Having taught the violin and viola since the mid 2000s, Ms. Vega King is a registered Suzuki instructor for Books 1 through 10. She enjoys all styles of music and loves teaching many musical traditions including classical, fiddle (both bluegrass and Celtic styles), jazz, and popular music. As a second generation student of both Dorothy Delay and Jascha Brodsky, Courtney’s passion is to share her teaching heritage with her students.
Her students have consistently earned membership in competitive youth symphonies and summer programs such as Atlanta Youth Symphony, Governor's Honors Program, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Kennesaw State University Symphony, Georgia Tech Symphony, Georgia Youth Symphony (concertmaster of Concertino 2018 May Concert and Symphony 2019), KSU Summer Intensive, Atlanta Junior Chamber Ensemble, Cobb County Honors Orch. (concertmaster), and All-State Orchestra 2015-2019 (6-8, 9-10, 11-12 grade orchestras, concertmaster All-State String Orchestra 2019).
Ms. Vega King is now focusing on the enjoyment of teaching as well as chamber and orchestral performance, since receiving her BA in music with an emphasis in violin performance from Emory University. In addition to sacred music performances at several area churches, Courtney has served in many regional orchestras throughout the southeast, including the cities of Augusta, Asheville, and Greenville among others. She currently performs with The Celebration String Quartet (2024 Best of the Knot Award) and completed her term in the Suzuki Association of Georgia as the Membership Chair (2017).
HANNAH HISE (VIOLIN)
Hannah began taking violin lessons at the age of ten, and participated in the Cobb County Music Teachers Association Solo Festival for two years. She has also performed with the GMEA All-State Orchestra 2004 and the Christian Community Orchestra of Douglasville. She is a graduate of Reinhardt College, majoring in violin performance. Hannah currently teaches strings privately in the Atlanta area.
CHUCK GUNSAULLUS (VIOLIN/VIOLA)
Chuck Gunsaullus started playing the violin in Arlington Heights, IL at the age of 5. After studying at the Hartt School of Music and University of Kansas, he began his music career which includes orchestras like the New Jersey Symphony, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, Hartford Symphony, Georgia Symphony, and Huntsville Symphony.
SANDY MICHAUD (CELLO/QUARTET MANAGER)
Sandy studied piano at an early age, and began playing the viola at age twelve. As a student, she attended many festivals sponsored by the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and was active in the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra and the Bucks County Youth Orchestra. While pursuing an accounting degree at the University of Richmond, she played with the University of Richmond Symphony and the Petersburg Symphony. She has been an active member of several church orchestras since her move to Atlanta in 2001. Sandy joined the Celebration String Quartet on cello in 2005 and began managing the quartet in 2008.