Deborah Podolski Breiding is a piano accompanist and piano instructor at West Liberty University. After serving five years as an accompanist for a variety of musical events with West Liberty University’s Department of Music and Theater, Deborah Podolski Breiding now adds secondary piano instruction to her schedule. Breiding earned two degrees from Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA – a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music with a piano performance major and a Master of Fine Arts in Music Education. At CMU she received piano instruction from Nelson Whitaker, Harry Franklin, and Helen Gossard in performance, accompanying, and pedagogy respectively. Wheeling legend and piano instructor Clara Ceo was Debbie’s mentor prior to her CMU experience. Before joining the WLU staff, Breiding gained a wealth of accompanying and teaching experience as a public school music educator and private piano instructor in schools and studios throughout the Ohio Valley. Some of her most proud moments include the successful preparation of students for solo and ensemble competitions.
It is her continuing commitment to helping students develop the skills needed to function well in the modern world of music that brought Debbie to WLU. Further it is her hope to promote and facilitate a collaborative spirit among the entire tri-state music community. She currently has other musical responsibilities as organist and choir director with Vance Memorial Presbyterian Church, Wheeling, and as director of music ministries with Corpus Christi Parish, Warwood. In addition she serves as accompanist for the Women’s Chorus of the Thursday Music of Club of Wheeling.