Our Team
Sarah Ellison: Violin
Violinist Sarah Ellison graduated from the University of Western Australia completing a Bachelor of Music degree (Performance) with honours and a Master of Music Practitioner Studies. She also completed her Diploma of Education at the University of New England and is a versatile musician possessing piano, violin and viola skills.
As a freelance musician, she has played for companies such as the Australian Opera Studio, Australian Ballet Orchestra, W.A. Ballet Company, W.A. Philharmonic Orchestra and Perth Pops Orchestra. Sarah has also been part of many recording projects for local and international artists in Western Australia.
Since coming to Melbourne in 2017, she has had the opportunity to perform with the George Ellis Orchestra, Australian Discovery Orchestra, Pro-Musica Orchestra, Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra 21 and Eclective Strings.
As a music educator, she has taught violin and coordinated string programs at Methodist Ladies College, Hale School, Vasek School for Violin and Strings, and was Head of Strings at Perth College. Sarah has been the Co-ordinator of Suzuki Strings at Scotch College in Melbourne for six years.
Sarah has also been a casual violin tutor, conductor and auditioner for the Melbourne Youth Orchestra’s MYS (Melbourne Youth Strings), Conductor for the Melbourne Youth Orchestra 2020 and 2024 Summer School, and Violin tutor for State Music Camp. She has also conducted for the Cloud Concert Youth Orchestra and the Suzuki Music Victoria Orchestra.
Sarah Ellison: Piano Accompanist
As a piano accompanist, Sarah has had over twenty years of experience accompanying students of all different instruments in school recitals, AMEB exams, Suzuki Graduations and various concerts.
Being an orchestral musician, she brings that expertise with her when following the student for their performance. Sarah is experienced with the Suzuki and AMEB repertoire having taught it for many years also.
Sarah travelled with the Vasek School of Violin and Strings to Malaysia to participate in the 27th ISME conference in Kuala Lumpa in 2006 as the piano accompanist.
Stephie-J: Piano Accompanist
StephieJ is a versatile, multi-instrumental performer and passionate educator.
She currently teaches at Huntingtower School and Sacred Heart Girls’ College as an upper strings (violin and viola) teacher, string ensemble director and choral accompanist. She regularly tutors at Melbourne Youth Orchestras, State Music Camp, State Music Camp North, and various school camps around Victoria.
As an accompanist, StephieJ has played for the AUSTAVic String Performers Festival, the Monash Youth Music Festival, the Victorian State School Spectacular, and the Australian Children's Choir, among many others. She regularly accompanies AMEB exams in musical theatre voice, strings, brass, and woodwind. Presently, she serves as the accompanist for Cloud9 Women’s Choir.
StephieJ is the State Treasurer for the Australian Strings Association (AUSTA) Victorian Chapter and is in the final stages of completing the Australian Kodaly Certificate (Primary) and a Bachelor of Music degree (Performance) from the University of New England.
StephieJ’s other love is musical theatre, and she worked on the 2023 Australian productions of Mary Poppins and Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat as a keys player.
Erica Tucceri: Theory Teacher
Erica is an energetic and passionate educator who hopes to encourage a lifelong love of music in all of her students, from beginners through to advanced. She teaches flute, piano, recorder and music theory and has experience guiding students through the AMEB syllabus, performance preparation, improvisation, playing as a soloist, in bands and in orchestras.
Her upbeat teaching style draws on her extensive experience as a performing artist across classical and improvised styles of music, spanning live performances, session work, band leading, composing and arranging, artist residencies, recording, and local and international touring.
Erica runs a private music teaching studio, has taught in schools both as an instrumental teacher and ensemble leader, as well as working as a casual lecturer at the JMC Academy, VCA Saturday School, and with YoWo Music, an organization dedicated to providing opportunities and mentorship to young female and non-binary musicians. Erica holds a Bachelor Degree with Honours in Music Performance (Orchestral), alongside a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Contemporary Music and Improvisation), both awarded by the Victorian College of the Arts.