Instrumental Teaching

Simon Beston

- Composition

Simon Beston studied music at Oxford University, during which he sang as a Choral Scholar and Lay Clerk with the Choir of New College. After leaving Oxford, Simon has pursued a variety of musical avenues as a tenor, pianist and composer. Simon came to Japan in 2016 to teach at the British School in Tokyo, and went on to act as Director of Music for the school. During his time at BST, he oversaw the teaching of the composition elements of iGCSE and A Level Music, where he helped students develop their composition techniques, while allowing them to find their own composition style.

In September 2022, he became the Founding Director of Tokyo International Music School, an organisation which brings students from a range of international and Japanese schools to rehearse and perform together in choirs, orchestras and other musical ensembles.

Email Address: simon@tokyoims.jp

Timothy Carter

- Clarinet & Saxophone Teacher

Tim Carter has performed throughout America, Europe, and Asia as an orchestral, chamber, and solo clarinet player. In addition to classical music, he has also explored playing pop, jazz, and gypsy-rock fusion on an amplified clarinet.

He received his Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, and his Master of the Arts degree from The Juilliard School & City University of New York. Previously, he was Principal Clarinetist of the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, and has also collaborated as an orchestral clarinetist with The New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, The Tokyo Symphony, The Kioi Chamber Orchestra, and The Vienna Philharmonic (Toyota Master Players).

As a solo clarinetist, he was awarded top prizes at numerous international music competitions, including a unanimous 1st prize at Japan Clarinet Association’s Clarinet Competition. First album, “Clarinet Reinventions,” was released on the Fontec label in 2016. He has given masterclasses at many universities throughout China and Japan and is on the faculty of J.F. Oberlin University in Tokyo.

Email Address: TimothyWildCarter@gmail.com
Website: www.timothywcarter.com
YouTube: Tim's YouTube Channel

Eli Carvajal

- Peripatetic Singing Teacher

Eli Carvajal studied classical singing with Martin Bussey at the University of Manchester, where he graduated with a Bachelor's in Music. Grounded in classical technique, Eli has experience in a wide variety of singing styles. After University, Eli took voice lessons with Markus Van Den Akker (Guildhall) and led a London youth choir. In addition to releasing three albums of his own songs, Eli has professional recording experience as a singer, guitarist and keyboardist with internationally touring artists.

Eli has performed to the British Royal Family at Lancaster House, sung with folk and funk bands across Europe and the USA and toured internationally as a session musician, playing at venues including Garage Italia Milan, the Hay Festival and RAK Studios. Taking his music into the performing arts, he has performed leading roles in small productions ranging from the Baroque opera Castor et Pollux to musical theatre productions of Sweeney Todd and Cabaret.

In April 2022 Eli moved to Tokyo, where he continues to perform as well as teach.

Email Address: elpcarvajal@gmail.com

Jessica Cesana-Hashimoto

- Cello Teacher

Before moving to Japan in 2006, American-Swiss cellist Jessica Cesana-Hashimoto, was performing professionally for fifteen years in New York City with orchestras, opera and musical theater productions. She was a member of the Greenwich Symphony, New Haven Symphony, Ridgefield Symphony, Westchester Symphony and appeared as a soloist with the Bridgeport Chamber Symphony. She has also performed with Broadway and off-Broadway musicians for numerous shows and recording sessions.

Ms. Cesana-Hashimoto also taught the cello and chamber music at the Merit Music School in New Canaan, Connecticut, St. David’s School, Manhattan, and ensembles at the Franklin D. Roosevelt school in Manhattan. She first traveled to Japan in 2002, with the New York Ragtime Orchestra, led by pianist Masonabu Ikemiya for concerts across Japan and then returned in 2004 performing concerts at the Osaka Dome and Osaka area with the same group. Since moving to Tokyo in 2006, with her husband and son, she has been performing chamber music concerts with pianist Azusa Sakurai, and teaching cello students from Japanese public schools, the British School and American School.

Ms. Cesana-Hashimoto, grew up in upstate NY, graduated from Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY, in 1990, where she earned degrees in both music education and performance. She was the recipient of the Keilocker string scholarship and student of Einar Holm, and Pamela Gearhart. Following graduation, she went to Switzerland to study with Angela Schwartz of the Basel Symphony and taught at the American School in Karlsruhe, Germany. While earning her Master’s Degree from Purchase Conservatory in 1997, she was a student of Marion Feldman, Manhattan School of Music, and Peter Wiley, cellist for the Beaux Arts Trio and Guarneri Quartet.

Telephone Number: 080 5424 8251
Email Address: jacesana@aol.com

Anneliese Chang

- Piano Peripatetic Teacher

- Aural and Theory

Anneliese Chang comes from Taiwan and has been teaching Music since 1992. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney in Australia and has qualifications from LTCL (Trinity College London). A. MusA. Associate diploma of music, (Australia Guild music examination board)

Whilst in Australia, Anneliese worked as a pianist, composer and teacher. She has performed the piano many times for many national events in Sydney. Anneliese moved back to Taiwan in 1997 and taught the piano, composition and solfege at Eternal-life Christ College and Bournemouth and Poole College. Several of her students have won competitions under her instruction.

Telephone Number: 050 3718 5788
Email Address: annec920@gmail.com

Alberto Garcia graduated in Piano and Music Theory from the Conservatory of Music in Spain in 1984 and went on to achieve the Yamaha Electone Certificate from the Colegio Hispano Ingles in Spain. He later went on to study Contemporary Harmony and Theory, Jazz guitar and Jazz ensemble at the Guillermo Gonzalez Music School in Tenerife, Spain. He finally graduated from the Musicians Institute Hollywood in Los Angeles where he studied under Scott Henderson, Carl Verheyen, Allen Hind, Dean Brown, Ross Bolton and Jean Marc Belkadi. Following his graduation, he made an additional Encore Program at MI and studied with Rick Zunigar.

As a session player, he performed exclusively during his stay in California and accumulated experience in different genres such as rock, pop, jazz, blues and funk. Alberto is now the Head of the Guitar Department at LiveJam Music School in Tokyo and works with various performing bands and on various projects in Tokyo.

Telephone Number: 090-6522-5932
Email Address: betogex@gmail.com

Christopher Hardy is a highly acclaimed percussionist, composer and educator. Chris has a background in Western percussion from the University of Michigan and is a hand drum specialist whose primary focus is on Middle Eastern, North African, West African, Brazilian and Latin percussion.

In addition to leading his own groups and co-founding Tatopani, the Tokyo-based world music group, Chris has performed and recorded with such diverse artists as Hamza El Din, John Neptune, Kazumi Watanabe, Yosuke Yamashita, Hidetaro Honjo (shamisen), Eitetsu Hayashi (taiko), Hideo Kanze (Noh performer), Kim Duk-Soo (Samul Nori), Onoe Shoroku (Kabuki), Shuntaro Tanikawa (poet), Kazutoki Umezu, Sizzle Ohtaka, Kato Kazuhiko, A.I., Kaleb James, Anthony Bailey, Ted Piltzecker, El Zafete.

Chris has performed at the Edinburgh Festival and at major music festivals in Japan, as well as actively performing throughout Europe, Asia, North Africa, South America, Australia and the United States. Most recently, he performed with the resident Cirque du Soleil show, “Zed” and served as musical ensemble director for the Tokyo performances of the “O Vertigo” dance troupe (Canada). Chris can be heard on the Victor, JVC, Columbia, Denon, Polydor, EMI, Equilibrium and Sony labels.

Telephone Number: 090 4226 5257
Email Address: handrum@me.com
Website: http://christopherhardymusic.com/

Yuri Ilin

- Oboe and Bassoon Instrumental Teacher

Yuri Ilin graduated from the Moscow State Conservatory and was taught by Professor A.V Petrov. He has extensive orchestral experience and has played in the Moscow Chamber Orchestra (as the Principal Oboist), Symphony Orchestra of State Radio, Symphony Orchestra of State Academic Theatre Opera and Cairo Symphony Orchestra.

Yuri was the Oboe Professor at Moscow State Conservatory between 1994-1996. He has worked with many notable composers and musicians including Krill Kondrashin, Mstislav Rostropovich and Vladimir Fedoseev. Yuri is currently also working as a freelance oboist with orchestras in Japan.

Email Address: ilinebox@hotmail.com

Chris Koh has been teaching professionally since 1994 and has experience working with all age groups and levels at independent and Local Education Authority schools and music centres in the UK. Chris completed his postgraduate violin studies with Professor Krysztof Jakowicz at the F. Chopin Academy of Music in Poland. He also studied with Ezsta Boda-Katone (Trinity College), Jean Brier (Huddersfied University) and Oliver Butterworth at the Centre for Young Musicians, Pimlico, UK.

As a professional freelance musician, Chris has worked for various classical opera and orchestral chamber and contemporary music theatre companies in the UK. He was also a principal member of the Carl Rosa Opera Company, Grange Park Opera and has performed solo for several touring companies and accompanied various artists in England.

Email Address: koharts@gmail.com

Jun Kubo

- Flute Instrumental Teacher

Ms Kubo received her bachelor's of Music from the Juilliard School in New York, studied with the legendary flutist from NY Philharmonic, Julius Baker. She also earned her Master’s of Music & Artist Diploma from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Advanced Certificate in Music Education from New York University, where she also studied Jazz.

She has won numerous international awards including Haifa International Flute Competition in Israel, and Leonardo di Lorenzo International Competition in Italy. She has toured and recorded in the major halls of the US, Europe, Russia and Japan and has now come back to live in Tokyo since 2012.

Before moving back to Tokyo in 2012, she moved to New York at the age 11 to attend the Juilliard Pre-College. Studying with Dr Bradley Garner, then with European teachers Alain Marion, Raymond Guiot, Trevor Wye and William Bennett every summer and a year in Paris attending the International School of Paris.  Her main teachers include Julius Baker, Andras Adrjan, Carol Wincenc and Robert Dick.

She is the author of “Let’s Begin Playing the Flute!” from Yamaha Music Media and has released “Tapisserie 1” , “Tapisserie 2” & "III" from SCOOP Records with her ensemble, Fevbre.

Email Address: junkubo.jk@gmail.com

Naoko has performed both in the UK and Japan, including in The Leeds International Chamber Music Recital, The Paxton House Summer Music Festival, the NPO Japan Scotland Society’s Concert Series, The Oldham Walton Centenary Celebration Concert in the presence of Lady Walton, and at the Holkham Hall by invitation of the Earl Countess of Leicester. Her qualifications include a BMus from Musashino Academia Musicae as a recipient of the Fukui Naoaki Scholarship, a PGDiploma in Advanced Studies in Musical Performance (with distinction) from the Royal Northern College of Music, and a Diploma in Professional Performance also from the RNCM. Whilst at the RNCM, she was awarded numerous prizes and was a finalist in The 6th Birmingham Accompanist of the Year Competition. She also became a scholar of the RNCM, and won the Sir Henry Richardson Award, before working as a Junior Fellow at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama. Her principal teachers were Shinya Nakane, Caroline Palmer, Carole Presland, and Graeme McNaught. Naoko also teaches piano in the Art Department of Yaei High School and is a judge of the Japan Classical Music Competition.

Telephone Number: 080-1316-3866

Email Address: nmatamaru@yahoo.co.jp

Misa Saka

- Piano Instrumental Teacher

In 2018 Misa completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under the tutelage of Joan Havill as a scholarship student. She moved to London in 2006 and began studying at the Junior Royal Academy of Music with Timothy Barratt where she won the Iris Dyer Piano Prize.

Misa has been a prize winner in numerous competitions and has performed internationally as a soloist throughout the UK, Japan, China, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, France, and Belgium. In Britain, she has performed in notable venues such as Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, and Cadogan Hall. Her most recent competition successes include top prizes at Watford International Piano Competition (formerly known as Christopher Duke Piano Competition) and at Norah Sande Award Piano Competition.

Currently, Misa is back in Tokyo performing as well as teaching at the Toyo Eiwa Jogakuin.

Email Address: misa.saka@outlook.com

Alla Takemura

- Violin & Viola Instrumental Teacher

Alla Takemura graduated from the Belarusian State Conservatoire with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Violin Performance under the tutelage of Professor Nickolay Bratennikov, as well as taking part in the master classes at the Moscow State Conservatoire with Professors Boris Belenki and Maia Glezarova. After graduating, she combined her work as a music and sound director for the National TV Company with teaching and performing.

She has performed at the Royal College of Music and St John’s Cathedral and participated in the Starling-DeLay Symposium on Violin Studies at the Julliard School of Music in New York. She is a soloist and a music director with the Zion String Ensemble specializing in Baroque and church music and has been teaching the violin and viola at BST since 2004.

Telephone Number: 080-6635-8732
Email Address: AllaTakemura1@gmail.com