Gretchen Debalski

As a teenager, Gretchen fell in love with the mellow sound of the cello and has been exploring the depth of its sound ever since. On her musical journey, she was introduced to the Suzuki philosophy, that believes that talent is not inborn but developed.  Suzuki said that it was not the years of practice that created a musician but rather the hours.  What would take 3 years to accomplish with a 30-minute practice per day would take half the time in a 60-minute practice per day.  What if one practiced 2-4 hours a day?  She felt inspired by the challenge to a self-limiting mindset she had grown up with; some people are just more talented musically than others.  She believes that if you can learn to produce a beautiful tone on an instrument as complex as the cello, you will also have fostered the habit of discipline needed to take on any challenges life will throw at you. 

Trainers who have influenced Gretchen’s teaching include Ian Johnson, Anne Hobbs, Beth Goldstien-McKee, Abbey Hansen, Tanya Carey and Debbie Lyle.

Being a licensed massage therapist, Gretchen also brings her knowledge of the muscular-skeletal system and ergonomics into her playing and teaching. Ease of playing creates comfort and comfort in playing creates joy.