STRINGS FACULTY
Fox River Academy has a professional, committed, and diverse string faculty. We have instructors who are trained in traditional classical instruction, Celtic/Folk, Suzuki, jazz, and other styles. Members are also performing artists who inspire their pupils by their musical experience and commitment to the arts.
Cassandra Tosh
VIOLIN/VIOLA INSTRUCTOR
Cassandra is a violist and violinist from Indianapolis, Indiana. She completed her Master’s degree in Music at Butler University studying viola performance with Richard Auldon Clark, while performing her duties as the Graduate Assistant to the Butler Symphony Orchestra and principal viola. She also composed a string trio under the guidance of Clark in the spring of 2020 during her Bachelor’s degree studies. In 2022, she won the Principal Viola position and solo for the ballet Giselle.
Cassandra has performed in a variety of settings, including chamber, ballet, opera, and theatre. She is the principal violist of the Fox Valley Orchestra, and especially enjoys playing viola in the Woomblies Rock Orchestra, based in Indianapolis. Cassandra began teaching private violin and viola lessons in 2013.
She enjoys teaching students of all ages and ability, and emphasizes a balance of fun and structure. Cassandra tailors the repertoire, pace, and intensity of her lessons to the goals and needs of each student, understanding that each one is different. When possible, she likes to incorporate theory and ear training. Her primary goals are creating well-rounded students that never lose their passion for playing music. Ms. Tosh also enjoys teaching a wide variety of genres, including Celtic and Bluegrass, and likes to encourage her students to explore different styles.
Besides teaching music, she plays guitar and is a passionate artist and power-lifter in her free time.
April Kinsella
VIOLIN INSTRUCTOR
With over 15 years of experience teaching violin students of many ages and skill levels, April has always been excited to see students light up when they work through and master musical pieces. This love and passion for music is what has kept her involved to this day. It is this joy that students feel when they master musical technique while building confidence in their musicianship that April strives for. Having played the violin and accordion as a small child, she proudly chose the instrument that sang to her heart; violin. Ms. Kinsella studied for many years through the Suzuki method under instructor Mary Smelser, and gained valuable ensemble experience performing violin in the Joliet All City Orchestra and the Chicago Youth Symphony. She branched out into contemporary music by playing in a vocal/orchestral ensemble called The New People under director Richard Siegel. Additionally, April has extensive experience performing and instructing on various solo literature, ILMEA state, operettas, musicals, and for church services in the Joliet area. April has a liberal arts degree from Joliet Junior College as well as a Bachelors in Arts from Harrington College in Chicago. She taught private violin lessons in Yorkville for many years under director Kim Gyssler. April’s certifications as a state and NCLB Approved Paraprofessional has allowed her to work with pre-school and grade school students at Parkview Christian Academy, and the YMCA preschool in Plano IL. Additionally, April is certified with St. Patrick’s church in Yorkville IL as a Faith Formation Teacher, and has also worked with adults through teaching water aerobics at YMCA in Plano and River Run in Oswego.
Valentina Delgado Santos
VIOLIN INSTRUCTOR
Born into a family of musicians, Valentina was surrounded by the sounds of string and wind instruments from a very early age, and grew up immersed in the enchanting world of melodies and harmonies from popular and folk songs of her Colombian Andean region. Her musical studies officially began at the age of 7 when she received a violin for Christmas as a gift from her family. Her first teacher was Julián Santos (her uncle), the principal violist of the UNAB Symphony, one of the most recognized orchestras in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Valentina earned her Bachelor’s degree from the Industrial University of Santander/Colombia, where she took classes with Polish professor Andrzje Lechowski. While at university, Valentina was part of the UNAB and UIS Orchestras and was the principal second violinist in their Youth Symphony Orchestra. Since then, Valentina has participated as a violinist and vocalist in events, festivals, and various musical workshops. She is currently a violinist with the Joliet Symphony Orchestra, and continues to be a part of various ensembles such as string quartets, piano and two violins trio, violin trios, violin duos, violin and soprano duos, charanga orchestras, and different choirs. She enjoys setting poems to music in the format of violin and soprano voice, as it is one of her favorite formats.
Valentina began teaching violin and early music classes at the age of 17, and has continued to teach private lessons and group classes at a number of schools and academies. She blended her love for Colombian folk songs and violin pedagogy by personally developing educational materials for early music enrichment through arranging Colombian folk children’s songs-- incorporating singing and storytelling along with musical expression and illustrations to connect and deepen her students’ learning experience. As a teacher, she enjoys accompanying each student's process with patience, dedication, and above all, a lot of creativity to develop their potential and complete musicianship.
Valentina also loves painting, dancing, nature, and animals, and her favorite sport is swimming (she was a standout competitor in butterfly and breaststroke).
Crystal Schneckberger
VIOLIN/VIOLA INSTRUCTOR (ONLINE)
A native of Golden, Colorado, Crystal Schneckenburger is a classically trained violinist. She has a great love of orchestral music and loves historical playing and has experimented with period instruments. She enjoys chamber music and has played with numerous types of ensembles, including string quartets, violin quartets, string trios, piano trios and violin piano duos. In addition, she has performed with the Colorado Korean Chorus and premiered new music at the Pendulum New Music concert series, a concert series designed for up-and-coming composers.
After seeing her cousin, a professional fiddler, perform in New England, Crystal begged her parents for a violin and began playing at age seven. A Suzuki child herself and a love of kids has led her to teach private music lessons to students of various ages and Crystal has been teaching violin since the age of sixteen. She currently has students through the Fox River Academy of Music and Art and the West Denver Suzuki Strings program.
In addition to Colorado, Crystal has performed in Chicago as well as in Italy with the Florentia Consort Program. She studied with Ann Setzer and Carolyn Stuart for her Masters of Music from DePaul University. She received her Bachelor of Music at University of Colorado at Boulder with high honors where she studied with Harumi Rhodes and Lina Bahn. Previous teachers include Allegra Wermuth, Robyn Sosa and Laura Barnette. In addition to playing the violin, Crystal enjoys reading, knitting, hiking and spending time with friends and family including two dogs.
Frances Marshall
CELLO INSTRUCTOR
Frances received her Master of Music in Cello Performance from Northern Illinois University, and her Bachelor of Arts (Music Major) from Luther College. She has studied in the studios of Cheng-Hou Lee, Kacy Clopton, Philip Borter, Julie Tehan, and Christina Dickenson. Frances was the Principal Chair of both the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras at Luther College, and is currently the Assistant Principal for the Fox Valley Orchestra in Aurora. In addition to teaching at the Fox River Academy, Frances is an instructor through the El Sistema program in Aurora, instructing and collaborating with hundreds of school-age children to bring orchestral study to the public schools. She also has experience/certification in the Suzuki Method and works with teens at the Illinois Math and Science Academy.
Bob Ferraris
BASS INSTRUCTOR
With over 40 years of experience on acoustic and electric bass, Bob Ferraris consistently demonstrates uncommon versatility and musical energy. A native of Joliet, IL., Bob began his musical journey initially on alto saxophone before switching to bass. Since then he has studied with Ted Sparks (Stan Kenton Orchestra), Harold Siegal (Chicago Symphony Orchestra and NBC radio and television), Warren Benfield (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), Brad Opland (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), and Joe Guastafeste, Principle of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
​
Beginning in 1985, Bob was selected to co-principle the bass section in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and held the position for four years. Previously, he worked as a staff musician for Disneyland and performed with Clark Terry and other notable jazz artists.
​
Bob studied music at Northern University, University of Illinois, and Lewis University, and is presently on staff at Lewis University as an instructor for string and electric bass, directing their Bass Ensemble and working with pep band, jazz combo, and as lower string coach. Bob is also a busy freelance musician and performs and records frequently with a vast array of ensembles including the Rockford Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony and the New Philharmonic, ensemble in residence at McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage.