Camac Blog
Family is the Future: Arpitalia and the Tartarotti Family
News
December 4, 2024
Our friends at Arpitalia, led by Enrico Tartarotti, have collaborated with us in Italy for almost 25 years. Founded in Milan in 1997, Arpitalia began as a musical agency for harpists, representing around 150 musicians across various sectors. Enrico explains, “Our primary focus was on religious ceremonies, such as weddings and funerals, throughout Italy. We excelled at organizing music for funerals, which presented unique challenges—unlike weddings, funerals require quick arrangements!”
The Tartarotti Family, from left to right: Flora, Enrico and Iris
This extensive work naturally led to sourcing and selling harps. In the early years, Arpitalia collaborated closely with a producer in Italy. However, in 1999, at the European Harp Symposium in Perugia, Enrico found himself running a stand next door to Camac’s own:“I had no idea what Camac was about back then. That day, I met Joël Garnier, the founder of Camac, and Jakez François.” With a glimmer in his eye, Enrico fondly recounts in Italian, “It was love at first sight!”
Sensing a turning point, he paused his partnership with his initial producer to accompany Joël to France and delve into Camac’s core values. “Joël trusted me enough to let me take a car full of harps back to Italy without upfront payment; since then, I’ve been acting as Camac’s distributor in Italy.”
This marked the beginning of a thrilling yet challenging phase: “We faced competition in a very different context than today; social media did not exist then, and everything relied on personal interactions. To promote Camac in schools and conservatoires across Italy, I had to buy a camper, fill it with harps, and present myself to every institution to gain recognition throughout Italy.” Enrico adds ruefully: “The challenge in Italy is that while it’s incredibly beautiful, it is also very long! Each week involved driving 2,000 to 3,000 kilometres.”
Since then, they have encountered the same fluctuations as the harp industry at large. This includes global financial crises, particularly impactful in Italy, and the pandemic, which has harmed the crucial middle market. Arpitalia also recognizes that they are competing not only against a distributor but also with a highly regarded local producer who could customize trade and commercial policies for the Italian market. “But, as you can see, we’re making a living! I must mention the tremendous support from Jakez, who assisted me in every way, and the incredible backing of Eric Piron. We have frequently organised beautiful and significant events featuring guests from around the world.”
During our conversation with Enrico, his two remarkable daughters, Iris and Flora, assisted in translating. They are now deeply involved in the business and are gradually taking over its operation. Iris mentions, “Enrico can now manage everything he previously lacked the time to oversee. To expand our marketing and social media efforts, reestablish the event on a national scale, featuring different guests and exhibitions.”
Above all, he wanted more time to explore Brittany so he can savour oysters and wine alongside his friend Eric… This should be put into brackets, please!” exclaims Iris.
Flora has been with the company for a couple of years now. She says of Enrico, “Despite being my dad, he’s also a great entrepreneur. I was pleasantly surprised to connect with him on this level. He has a remarkable talent for spotting fresh communication and marketing ideas, even without formal training. We’re a very communicative family, which means we embrace our roles as salespeople.
Iris and I essentially grew up in Arpitalia; by ages one and two, we were already featured in advertisements, posing with little harps! This upbringing meant we spent much of our childhood in the office and showroom, playing with harps and getting acquainted with different models as the years passed. Now, in addition to my role as a salesperson, I oversee the accounting and administration, which I studied at university. I truly enjoy this position—it’s been a beautiful discovery.”
Flora has also been gaining another very valuable skill: “Yes, I play the harp. Another significant discovery I made this year, while I used to play the trumpet. Iris and I always kept our distance from the harp.” Until now, it would seem!
While Flora manages the accounting, rental and sales together with Enrico, Iris manages communication and marketing for the company. “I have a background in marketing and communication, which I truly enjoy. I oversee our social media accounts—including Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn—and coordinate events and public relations. Additionally, I’ve created new marketing campaigns that will begin appearing on our social media, so stay tuned for our Christmas campaign, as it will be something unique and exciting.”
As a seasoned businessman, Enrico can readily appreciate the advantages that such new tools provide: “For instance, consider the new Lancelot harp: twenty years ago, I would have had to pack two or three harps into my caravan and travel 3,000 kilometres to promote them. Today, with merely four or five social media posts, we can announce them to our audience. We’ve already presented and sold these harps.”
Iris concludes, saying, “Arpitalia serves as a constant reminder of the importance of family work. I truly value the opportunity to collaborate with my family daily, both for my life and future. So I’m here to stay.”
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