Teachers Treble Together presents:
Bornoff Intensive with Debbie Lyle
Access, Agency, & Expression
A Full-Day Professional Development Workshop for Music Educators
Join us for an extended Teachers Treble Together session featuring a Bornoff Intensive led by renowned pedagogue Debbie Lyle. This workshop offers a unique opportunity to deepen your teaching practice through hands-on learning, pedagogical discussion, and practical strategies rooted in the Bornoff approach.
In true Teachers Treble Together spirit, we will also intersperse the session with a collaborative teacher roundtable discussion focused on connection, reflection, and the sharing of ideas and experiences with fellow music educators. Our goal is to create a space that is both enriching and supportive, where teachers can grow professionally while building meaningful community.
Sunday, August 2nd | 9AM - 5PM
Date: August 2nd, 2026
Time: 9AM - 5PM
Location: Studio Muse | Sterling, VA
Cost: $55 for Teachers & $25 for Students
Who Should Attend: String teachers, private lesson instructors, school orchestra educators, collegiate music educators, and aspiring music teachers.
Teachers Treble Together is a monthly professional development series created for music educators seeking inspiration, connection, and continued growth. Designed for public school teachers, private studio instructors, and emerging educators alike, this program creates a supportive space to share experiences, reflect on teaching practices, and build community.
We gather for a roundtable session where teachers come together to:
Share stories from the classroom or private lesson studio
Explore practical strategies and creative approaches
Collaborate on solutions to common teaching challenges
Recharge through music-making and conversation
How It Works
When: 3 sessions thought the year
Where: Studio Muse | Sterling, VA (other locations possible)
Cost: Free to attend (except for long workshops)
Who Should Join: Public school music teachers, private studio instructors, and anyone preparing to enter the profession
Each session, we will highlight a theme relevant to teaching ranging from classroom management to repertoire ideas, lesson pacing, technology in the studio, and more. Sessions are collaborative and shaped by the needs of participants.
Why attend?
Teaching can feel isolating at times and Teachers Treble Together is here to remind us that we’re not alone. Whether you’re looking for new strategies, a chance to brainstorm with colleagues, or just space to recharge, these sessions are a supportive and welcoming place to grow alongside other educators.
Contributions
We aim to offer these programs free to all teachers except for workshops. In order to keep the series going and to bring in guest presenters for future sessions, we invite contributions at the end of each gathering. Whether small or large, every contribution helps sustain this community and ensures we can continue offering these opportunities for music educators.
Meet the Clinician
Debbie Lyle
Executive Director of The Bornoff Foundation for the Advancement of String Education
Debbie Lyle has directed school orchestras in grades five through twelve and regional youth orchestras for over 30 years, was a violin and pedagogy student of Dr. George Bornoff, the founder of the Foundation for the Advancement of String Education (FASE, Inc.). The Executive Director of FASE for twelve years. Debbie has created new, accessible, and impactful resources for string teachers and their students, and she expanded the FASE grant program to support affordable professional development opportunities, commission culturally and musically varied teaching materials, and nurture diversity and inclusion through programs like the Diverse String Teachers Fellowship. She is the author of The Bornoff Approach – A Primer and has received recognition for her work in classical and jazz string education. Debbie has been a clinician and presented student ensembles in performance for many state, regional, national, and international music education conferences.
What is the Bornoff Approach?
First formalized and published in the 1950s, Dr. George Bornoff's classroom approach continues to hold tremendous value for today's string teachers. Believing that every child has not only the ability, but the right to learn a string instrument, Dr. Bornoff created a finely tuned classroom approach capable of developing conservatory-level proficiency without traditional private lessons.
The Bornoff Approach emphasizes sequential skill development, strong technical foundations, and teaching strategies that make high-level string instruction accessible to all students. More than seventy years after its creation, the approach continues to influence string educators seeking practical, effective methods for building successful and inclusive string programs.
This workshop will provide participants with an opportunity to explore the principles of the Bornoff Approach directly with Debbie Lyle, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Advancement of String Education (FASE), and discover ways to incorporate its concepts into their own teaching.
Learn More
To learn more about the Bornoff Approach and the work of FASE, visit:
www.fase.org
Additional FASE Professional Development Opportunities
• 3-Day Virtual Workshops
https://fase.org/teacher-training/summer-virtual/
• National Bornoff Workshop
https://fase.org/teacher-training/summer-national/
Teachers Treble Together Photos
Donations
Teachers Treble Together is a professional development series for music educators, created to inspire collaboration, connection, and growth within our teaching community.
If these sessions have been meaningful to you, please consider making a donation of any amount. Your support helps us continue offering these gatherings at no cost, bring in guest speakers for larger workshops, and sustain this program for music educators across our region.
Proudly Sponsored By
This Teachers Treble Together Bornoff Intensive is made possible through the generous support of organizations and community partners who believe in music education, teacher development, and accessible learning opportunities for string educators.
Foundation for the Advancement of String Education (FASE)
Supporting excellence, accessibility, and innovation in string education through professional development, teaching resources, and inclusive programming.
Premier Home Center
Proudly supporting community enrichment, arts education, and meaningful local initiatives.
Encore Strings
Supporting string education and music-making through service to teachers, students, and the broader music community.
We are deeply grateful for the support of our sponsors in helping make this workshop possible!