Debby Michael
Violin, Piano, & Viola Teacher

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my website! I have been teaching music lessons since 2006. I teach violin lessons for students of all ages and levels of ability, and I teach piano and viola lessons for beginning and early intermediate students. Lessons are held at my home Studio in Enola as well as virtually through Skype.

Use the navigation menu at the top of this page to find more information about myself and my studio.

Use the menu button in the top right (or scroll from page to page) to find more information about me and my studio.

Bio

I am originally from the small town of Laurel, Delaware and grew up in a musical household. My mom, who is an accomplished pianist, nurtured my love for music and always encouraged me to sing and to play any instrument I wanted. I began formally studying the piano at the age of five and violin at nine.

I studied music at Lebanon Valley College and graduated summa cum laude in May of 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and a concentration in violin performance. During my time at LVC, I studied violin and viola under Dr. Johannes Dietrich, played in the college orchestra for four years, serving as concertmaster for three of those years, and played in the college string quartet.

Summa cum laude
to signify that her degree was earned with the highest distinction
Phi Alpha Epsilon
LVC's scholastic honor society
Departmental Honors
for her presentation and performance on the work of composer William Grant Still, "William Grant Still: Beyond the Afro-American Symphony"
Carmean Orchestra Award
awarded for her contribution and dedication to the LVC orchestra
Barbara June Kettering Award
awarded to a music major showing promise and devotion to the field of music
Music Teachers National Association Award
awarded to an outstanding music student who intends to teach professionally in an independent or collegiate music studio after graduation

I discovered my love for teaching early in my college career when I started teaching lessons through the Community Music Institute in Annville. I opened my own private studio in 2009, and teaching has been my passion and my career ever since. Although my full teaching schedule does not currently leave me with time for performing, I have had the pleasure of playing with ensembles including the York Symphony, the Central Pennsylvania Symphony, the West Shore Symphony and several chamber ensembles in addition to performing for weddings, at church services, and in pit orchestras.

I currently live in Enola with my husband, Tyler, and our three beautiful children, Ellie, Clementine, and Clark. When I am not teaching, you can find me gardening, reading, homeschooling my kids, or cheering them on from the side of the soccer field.

Studio

My home studio is conveniently located in Enola, only 3 minutes from 81 and 11/15.

There is plenty of free, on street parking.

Parents are welcome to come inside during lessons. I have a small waiting area with a table and chair in the foyer, just outside of the lesson room.

The studio is located at 719 Westwood Drive, Enola PA 17025

Teaching Method

I love the flexibility the one-on-one format of private lessons affords. I take an individualized approach to teaching and tailor lessons and repertoire to each student’s needs, interests, and goals. Over my many years of teaching, I have grown an extensive free lending library of music that includes everything from classical standards, to fiddle music, to Disney and pop songs, and much more. I value both offering music that a student is really interested in learning and introducing new music to broaden a student’s horizons.

I have a diverse studio that includes students of different ages, levels of ability, learning styles, and backgrounds. I have experience working with small children, adults, and every age in between. I also have experience working with people with learning differences including but not limited to autism, dyslexia, and ADHD. My wide range of students have very diverse goals. Some are brand new musicians just trying out an instrument for the first time, others are already accomplished musicians who are preparing for their college auditions, and others are looking for a source of inspiration and motivation to keep practicing and enjoying music. Regardless of age and experience, I prioritize teaching fundamentals of technique, reading music, and music theory.

My students have successfully auditioned for All County Orchestra, Lebanon Valley College Honors Orchestra, the Harrisburg Junior Youth String Orchestra, the Harrisburg Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Central Pennsylvania Home School Orchestra, the York Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Festival Strings. I have had adult students join community orchestras including the West Shore Symphony and the Central Pennsylvania Orchestra. I have also helped students prepare to play at their churches, for family and friends, and at weddings or other events.

Lesson Information

I teach private violin, piano, and viola lessons at my home studio in Enola. I also offer virtual lessons via Skype. My teaching method and repertoire are tailored to each individual student. I strive to help each student to achieve his or her personal goals.

Violin: Beginning, intermediate, and advanced students ages seven to adult.
Piano: Beginning and early-intermediate students ages five to adult.
Viola: Beginning and intermediate students ages seven to adult.

Schedule

I offer lessons on Monday through Thursday. If an available time below does not fit your schedule, you may still contact me to inquire about lessons and request to be added to my wait list. I will contact everyone on the wait list when new lesson times become available. My schedule is fluid so please do not hesitate to contact me.


Studio Policies

Click the categories below to expand details.

Touch the categories below to expand details.

Lessons are held once per week for either 30-minute or 1-hour. Payment is due at the first lesson of each month. Tuition is $160 per month for 30-minute lessons and $320 per month for 1-hour lessons. This rate will not change regardless of student absences (planned or not).

The only time the rate will change is if I cancel a lesson or if your lesson falls on one of the following holidays: Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, or New Year’s Day. You will be reimbursed for each of those missed lessons ($40 for 30-minute lessons, $80 for 1-hour lessons).

For months that have 5 lessons, the 5th lesson is a free bonus lesson.

Weekly lessons are held year-round. If you need to take an extended break, you can reserve your lesson time by continuing to pay the monthly lesson cost. Otherwise, I will fill the lesson time with a new student, and add you to my wait list.

Students are expected to arrive on time for lessons. If you are late, please do not assume that your lesson time can be extended.

When canceling a lesson, please contact me via phone call, text message, or email as soon as possible. This advanced notice is not only courteous, but it also allows me to schedule make-up lessons for other students.

With enough notice, I will do my best to accommodate occasional make-up lessons. Make-up lessons are not guaranteed.

Virtual lessons are always available for any reason (full-time, inclement weather, illness etc). Do not attend an in-person lesson if you are ill. I encourage students to have a virtual lesson setup prepared, however this is not required.

Download printable studio policies





Virtual Lessons

I offer virtual lessons using Skype as my virtual lesson video-sharing platform. Skype is very user-friendly, reliable, and works across all devices and operating systems. Skype also supports the multi-camera setup that I use. I do not support other video-sharing apps. If you already use another app for video sharing, you will still need to download and install Skype to attend virtual lessons with me.

My cameras are connected to a computer that is plugged directly into my router (not Wi-Fi). This ensures that I am broadcasting the highest quality audio and video possible. The quality of audio and video that you receive is limited by the speed of your internet connection and the type of speakers on your device.

For piano lessons I use a two-camera setup. One camera is mounted from the ceiling to provide a bird's eye view of the keyboard. The second camera is facing me. I switch back and forth between cameras as needed during piano lessons.



For violin and viola lessons, I use a single camera facing me.



How to Connect to me on Skype

1. Determine which device you will be using (computer, tablet, phone etc).
2. Download and install Skype.
3. Create a Skype account and log in.
4. Select "Contacts".
5. Select "Add a Contact".
6. Search for dmichael37@hotmail.com and add me as a contact.
7. Important: Send me a text message on Skype. This will be the only way for me to add you as a contact on my end.

Setting up your Camera

For piano students, place your camera on or beside your piano. Angle the shot to show your piano keys and side of your body. Try to have good front lighting and avoid any back lighting. Below is an example camera setup using a smart phone, an end table, a stack of books, and a glass jar. A setup like this should be easy for anyone to replicate.





For violin and viola students, place your camera at chest height, facing the area that you will stand to play. Try to have good front lighting and avoid any back lighting. Below is an example camera setup using a smart phone, a shelf, a stack of books, a can of tuna, and a glass jar. A setup like this should also be easy for anyone to replicate.





How to Connect at the Time of Your Lesson

1. Open Skype a couple minutes before your lesson time.
2. Wait for your device to ring; I will initiate the call at your lesson time.
3. If there is no answer, I will try again every couple of minutes.
4. If you are having technical issues, please call or text my phone.

Recitals

I hold two recitals per year at no additional cost to my students.

These recitals give students the opportunity to share what they have been working on in lessons and to hear what other students have been working on. Participation is optional but highly encouraged!

Click the arrows to cycle through photos of past recitals.

Swipe the photos left and right to cycle through photos of past recitals.

Opus XI

May 2022

Opus XI

May 2022

Opus XI

May 2022

Opus X

December 2021

Opus X

December 2021

Opus IX

June 2021

Opus IX

June 2021

Opus IX

June 2021

Opus VII

June 2018

Opus VII

June 2018

Opus VII

June 2018

Holiday Recital

December 2018

Holiday Recital

December 2018

Holiday Recital

December 2018

Holiday Recital

December 2018

Holiday Recital

December 2018

Reviews

Click the arrows to cycle through reviews written by current and former students and parents.
Swipe the text left and right to cycle through reviews written by students and parents.
“ I have been playing the violin for almost nine years now and many of those years have been under Mrs. Michael's wing. She is an extremely patient teacher and my skills have grown so much over the years.

She helps teach you the basics but also makes sure you have fun with the pieces you're playing. Her passion for music really bleeds through in her teaching. She's open to pieces that you want to play and provides great suggestions if you are indecisive like me.

She's helped me so much through the years in terms of auditions for orchestras and scholarships. She's friendly, she's patient, she knows what she's doing, she's supportive and she cares. She's the best teacher I could ever ask for and I would definitely recommend her! ”
— Sophie, age 18 (Carlisle)
violin, 6 years with Debby
“ When Leanna started taking lessons with Debby, we were not sure whether violin was for her at all. We had some struggles with the previous teacher and we were questioning if this is something that Leanna should even continue, but to our amazement, Leanna has blossomed in the last year with Debby as a teacher.

Debby makes lessons enjoyable. She takes the time to explain things and it makes a huge difference! Thank you for helping our daughter love playing the violin again! ”
— Leanna, age 11
violin, 2 years with Debby
“ Having not played an instrument in 30 years, I am quite thankful that Debby is my instructor. The patience and adaptability she has shown me has given me the confidence that going at my pace(which is slower) is quite acceptable.

I appreciate her willingness to not only go at my pace, but to also entertain any and all pieces that I want to learn whether they are in the current curriculum or not. All this, while maintaining teaching and reinforcing all the fundamentals we have gone over previously and adding in more advanced playing.

Her passion for music and teaching inspire me to be a better musician and student. ”
— Bill, age 46 (Harrisburg)
violin, 7 years with Debby
“ Looking to begin studying solo violin techniques, I started studying with Debby four years ago. She helped me prepare pieces for auditions, which would not have been successful without her help.

She helped me pick repertoire pieces that were challenging but kept me engaged. She also taught technique and scale exercises, which helped me flourish as a student.

I’m now a music student at Penn State, studying with Dr. Edelstein in the Penn State Philharmonic. Without Debby, I wouldn’t be here today. ”
— Jackie, age 18 (Harrisburg)
violin, 4 years with Debby
“ My children have been taking lessons with Debby for the past two years. She has been a good fit for our family. She is patient and is an excellent teacher. She knows music and has a wonderful personality. I highly recommend her! ”
— Anthony and William, ages 9 and 10 (Steelton)
piano and violin, 2 years with Debby
“ My children, Sam 14 and Adriana 8, have been taking piano and violin lessons with Debby for three years. Debby is a brilliant music teacher. Her lessons are tailored to each child, and she integrates music theory in every lesson.

Debby expects the very best from her students. Her love of music is as apparent as her gift of teaching. ”
— Parent of Sam and Adriana, ages 14 and 8
piano and violin, 3 years with Debby
“ I have been blessed by God in finding Debby. She is a very patient, talented and passionate violin teacher. Debby's talent and passion for music shows in the way she plays her violin. Her love for teaching violin shows in her bubbly personality and the excitement she shows in her teaching.

She is a very patient teacher. I am an adult learner, and it takes a while for me to learn, but Debby explains the music thoroughly until you understand it , even drawing pictures and she allows you to record her which helps immensely! I would recommend her for any age student! She's a wonderful teacher and a very good person! ”
— Heather, adult (Lebanon)
violin, 9 years with Debby
“ We love Debby! She is a very good violin teacher! She is really talented, and she knows her profession really good. I love the way she was teaching my daughter. When we needed to learn our special songs, she was a very good help!

She feels the music, and she is also very nice as a person. I hope that she is going to do well in her future teaching as well. ”
— Parent of Vanessa, age 12
violin, 2 years with Debby
“ I have been working with Debby since the beginning of the school year. I have back-to-back lessons that are 30-minutes each for viola and piano. Debby is so much fun to work with. She makes everything easy to remember, like the circle of fifths and all the different chords.

I get to play music that I choose and enjoy. In the short period of time I have studied with Debby, I've greatly advanced with the piano. I've also been fixing my position with my viola as well as cleaning up my vibrato!

Since I started working with Debby, I have not once had a feeling of dread towards lessons. Debby is so friendly. I am so glad we found her! ”
— Zoe, age 13
piano and viola, 1 year with Debby
“ Debby agreed to take me on as an adult beginning violin student. She quickly developed a study program suitable for me, who is quicker than most of her younger students at picking up reading and music theory skills, but often slower at some playing techniques due to slower reflexes and larger fingers.

She is a creative, challenging and supportive teacher. ”
— Bob, age 65 (Hummelstown)
violin, 8 years with Debby
“ I like playing violin with Debby. I love violin, and she is a very nice teacher. I have learned a lot from her. ”
— John, age 10
violin, 1 year with Debby
“ It is a pleasure learning the piano from Debby. You cannot be more of a beginner than I am.

Being so new to music made me nervous to start at an older age. She is very patient and kind, teaching me the most basic elements of music and piano.

She took the time to understand my motivation and is clearly leading me towards my goal. I look forward to continuing to learn and improve under Debby's tutelage. ”
— Brett, age 27
piano, 1 year with Debby

Contact

Please call, text, or email me if you would like to inquire about setting up a weekly music lesson for yourself or your child.

Phone and Text: 717-712-5112

Email: dmichael37@hotmail.com

Facebook: Debby Michael's Music Studio

Studio location:

719 Westwood Drive
Enola, PA 17025

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