Our Teaching Team

Alex Chalabi - BMus GSMD, ESA Level 4 (violin) Level 2 (Viola)

Alex started playing the violin aged 4 with Suzuki method following his older brother's footsteps (now a concertmaster in Australia). Learning with Felicity Lipman, Alex attended Junior Guildhall School of Music, led the London Schools Symphony Orchestra and played in many London venues with both Guildhall and Dulwich College ensembles, including solo concertos at St John's Smith Square and the Royal Albert Hall. He studied Violin and Viola at RNCM and Guildhall School of Music (with Jon Morton and Mark Knight) and has freelanced with various ensembles since.

For enquiries, please contact: alexander.chalabi@gmail.com or 07708626441.

MIchiko takahashi - PHD (Neurosci) Ucl, MSc (PAM) Ucl, ESA Level 4

Michiko was a Suzuki child in Tokyo and completed all 10 Suzuki Books, continued to learn further repertoire from Chuichi Takasugi, who was a close friend of Dr Suzuki. She regularly attended the Summer School in Matsumoto and received lessons from Dr Suzuki.  She had over 10 years of a successful career as a neuroscientist. In 2007, she looked for a Suzuki violin teacher for her son, there was a shortage of qualified Suzuki teachers in South London, which prompted her to start her teacher training at the British Suzuki Institute.

She is a Level 4 Suzuki teacher and teaches at home in West Norwood. She is an active member of the London Suzuki Group.

Michiko has completed her MSc in Performing Arts Medicine at UCL, to combine her two life long interests, science and music. 

Enquiries at michiko.violin@gmail.com

Claire Sterling - BMus(Hons) Univ. of Melbourne, MMus (Advanced Instrumental Studies) GSMD, ESA Level 3

Australian-born Claire completed a BMus in Music Performance at the University of Melbourne and a Masters in Advanced Instrumental Studies at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where she studied with Krysia Osostowicz.

Currently Co-Principal Second Violin with English National Opera, Claire enjoys a varied performing career as an orchestral and chamber musician. Claire is invited regularly as a guest principal with UK orchestras including RPO, Philharmonia, BBC Scottish, BBC Welsh, BBC Philharmonic, Welsh National Opera and Royal Northern Sinfonia.

Seeing the joy and success of the Suzuki method with her own two children, Claire was inspired to become a Suzuki teacher herself and joined the DSG team in September 2020. 

Individual lessons take place in South-East London SE6.  Enquiries: 07813113698 or clairesterling@yahoo.co.uk

eD BRUGGEMEYER - DipTCL, ESA LEVEL 2

Ed’s 20 years of professional performance experience has been varied. Trained as a violinist at Trinity College of Music, London, classical music has been the foundation for other styles of performance. Alongside the more familiar classical worlds of orchestras, quartets and recording sessions, Ed has been a proud busker and street performer. His work with groups such as Bowjangles, Pluck and Graffiti Classics – all originating from busking, has taken him into the cabaret circuit and on to tours in many places around the world. It has also created opportunities to learn and develop a career as an actor. 

Ed’s Suzuki journey started when he was inspired by a conversation about movement and memory in music and how it works with the Suzuki method. This conversation, on a chance encounter with an old friend and colleague, led him to join the BSMA course where he has recently completed his Level 1 course.

Enquiries: ed@bruggemeyer.com

SARAH McKENZIE-JONES - MSC (Biochem) ESA Level 2 (Violin)

Sarah grew up with a New Zealand version of the Suzuki method as a child but took a music ‘sabbatical’ to study and then teach biochemistry. She took a long path back to the violin via computer programming and teaching baby signing. As her own children began their Suzuki journey Sarah got back to the violin herself and was then inspired to embark on Suzuki training. She models herself after Sharron Beamer, with the aim of engaging and setting up excellence in young beginners. Sarah teaches in Tonbridge and is part of the Kentish Suzuki Group.

Enquiries hipchickmck@hotmail.com