Francesca McNeeley

Francesca began her musical journey in her native country of Haiti when she was four years old. Today she enjoys an eclectic career in Boston, in demand as a soloist, chamber musician, contemporary music specialist, and orchestral player. She plays regularly with Castle of Our Skins, the Celebrity Series of Boston, and as a substitute with the Boston Symphony & Boston Pops Orchestras. She has been a member of A Far Cry since 2022.

Francesca attended Princeton University with a primary focus in politics, and went on to receive scholarships to attend Rice University and the New England Conservatory for her graduate degrees in cello performance. She has earned fellowships and prizes from the Tanglewood Music Center, where she also served as a New Fromm Player. With her Fromm colleagues she has founded the Chroma Trio, championing modern string trio repertoire. She attended the Music Academy of the West, Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, Spoleto Music Festival & Toronto Summer Music. She has been awarded multiple grants from the Sphinx Organization, and now serves on The Artist Council for the National Alliance for Audition Support. Her teachers and mentors have included Tom Kraines, Darrett Adkins, Norman Fischer, Yeesun Kim, and Astrid Schween.

Francesca is dedicated to community engagement through teaching and mentoring. In addition to her private teaching studio, she serves on the faculties for the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Intensive Community Program and Project STEP.

Zenas Hsu

Zenas likes playing the violin. He was born in sunny San Jose, California and had his first audience in the hummingbirds and the crows outside his living room window. His favorite memories of childhood included discovering Mendelssohn piano trios and reading books of Frank Herbert, J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, and Dan Simmons.

He eventually found himself in Philadelphia at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he microwaved broccoli whole and survived on pizza. After fulfilling his graduate degrees at the New England Conservatory of Music, he stayed in Boston to explore the myriad musical possibilities the city has to offer, from being a proud member of A Far Cry, to playing dozens of Nutcracker shows, being part of chamber and orchestral startups and interrupters, and subbing with the Boston Symphony. His musical mentors who helped shape his musical personality include Wei He, Ida Kavafian, Nicholas Kitchen, and Donald Weilerstein.

Zenas really likes playing music with others, but also loves sharing ideas with young musicians. He is a founding member of Chamber Music by the Bay, an interactive music series based in California dedicated to bringing the joy of chamber music to libraries and local public schools. He also regularly coaches sectionals at the New England Conservatory, as well as festivals and workshops at Portland Summer Ensembles, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and more.

When he is not violin-ing, Zenas enjoys taking candid photos and videos, wondering what to do with his sourdough discard, and dabbling in meditation. In recent years, he has been spending lots of time with his wife and daughter and trying new things together like skiing, horseback riding, snorkeling, and dancing. Come up and talk to him anytime! He might be a little shy but he will always enjoy hearing your story.