Meet Our Teaching Team!
Deb Shurtz
Master Instructor & Studio Owner
Deb is the founder and owner of Strings & Keys Studio. She has been playing both piano and guitar for 40+ years—and brings more than a decade of musical-instruction experience to you and your family. She teaches students of all ages and skill levels.
Deb’s style of instruction—and that of our studio—strikes a nice balance between gentle joy and age-appropriate challenge. Her warmth helps students feel confident as they expand their piano, guitar, or ukulele skills and fall in love with making music. It gives Deb great joy to guide their progress as they develop a music habit that lasts a lifetime.
Deb opened Strings & Keys Studio in January 2025 with a vision for offering musical instruction to families in her Leander/Georgetown community. Within three months, the studio was filled to capacity with a growing waitlist.
These days, in addition to teaching a full portfolio of students, Deb is expanding the studio’s reach by hand-selecting and mentoring talented new instructors in her musical methodology and style. “It’s my desire to ensure that every student in our area who wants to play an instrument can connect with a Strings & Keys teacher who helps them soar,” Deb says. “I value every student’s progress, and I count it an honor to help children and adults alike learn to play their instruments with excellence and joy.”
Katelyn Harrelson
Instructor, Early Childhood & Elementary Beginners
Katelyn Harrelson joins our Strings & Keys teaching team as an Early Childhood & Elementary Specialist. Her musical journey began with piano lessons at age eight, and has included piano, guitar, ukulele, and vocal training; performance experience, and coaching young music performers.
With several years of experience in early-childhood instruction in both educational and extracurricular settings, Katelyn has a specific passion for nurturing the growing skills of young learners. She is dedicated to making music a fun, accessible experience for children of all ages.
Katelyn’s approach to teaching piano, ukulele, guitar, and voice combines creativity, patience, and an unwavering commitment to fostering a positive, supportive learning environment. “Young learners have unique needs,” she says, “so I tailor my lessons to meet each student’s individual learning style, ensuring that they enjoy developing the foundational skills they need to make progress on their musical journey.”
Whether she’s guiding students through their first melodies or helping them discover their musical voices, Katelyn’s contagious enthusiasm inspires our younger students to build a lifelong love of music.