Deborah Martin joined the faculty of Ithaca College in 1992 as assistant professor of piano. Prior to coming to Ithaca College, she was on the faculty at Wabash College and DePauw University in Indiana. She was also an assistant instructor of piano at Indiana University and received the Lieber Distinguished Teaching Award. While at Indiana University she coauthored the text Tonal Harmony at the Keyboard with Gary Wittlich, professor of music theory.
Martin received a bachelor of music degree, summa cum laude, in piano performance from Baylor University where she studied with Roger Keyes and participated in master classes given by Adele Marcus, John Browning, and Susan Starr. She continued her studies at Indiana University with Karen Shaw, earning both the master of music in piano performance and literature and the doctorate of music in piano literature and pedagogy with high distinction.
Deborah Martin began her playing career in California when she was chosen as a member of the Young Artists Guild and performed with the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra while still in high school. Piano pedagogy has always been a special interest, and she was active and served on panels at the National Piano Pedagogy Conference. Martin is a member of Music Teachers National Association and New York State Music Teachers Association. She has held several state offices including State President and Vice-President of Conferences and served on the National Board of Directors. Martin is active as seminar and workshop presenter and has adjudicated for numerous organizations across the state and northeast.
In addition to teaching at Ithaca College, Martin maintains a private studio of young piano students. In 1997 she founded the Teaching Intern Program at Ithaca College and through this program mentors Ithaca College students with an interest in teaching piano. Since 2000 she has directed the Summer Piano Institute.