Administrative Staff

Adrian Anantawan, Artistic Director, holds degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music, Yale University and Harvard Graduate School of Education. As a violinist, he has studied with Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, and Anne-Sophie Mutter; his academic work in education was supervised by Howard Gardner. Memorable moments include performances at the White House, the Opening Ceremonies of the Athens and Vancouver Olympic Games and the United Nations. He has played for the late Christopher Reeve, Pope John Paul II, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Adrian has performed extensively in Canada as a soloist with the Orchestras of Toronto, Nova Scotia, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Montreal, Edmonton and Vancouver. He has also presented feature recitals at the Aspen Music Festival and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. He has also represented Canada as a cultural ambassador in the 2006 Athens Olympics, and was a featured performer at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies.

Adrian helped to create the Virtual Chamber Music Initiative at the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Centre. The cross-collaborative project brings researchers, musicians, doctors and educators together to develop adaptive musical instruments capable of being played by a young person with disabilities within a chamber music setting. He is also the founder of the Music Inclusion Program, aimed at having children with disabilities learn instrumental music with their typical peers.

From 2012-2016, he was the co-Director of Music at the Conservatory Lab Charter School, serving students from the Boston area, kindergarten through grade eight—his work was recognized by Mayor Marty Walsh as a ONEin3 Impact Award in 2015. Adrian is also Juno Award nominee, a member of the Terry Fox Hall of Fame, and was awarded a Diamond Jubilee Medal from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to the Commonwealth. He is the current Chair of Music at Milton Academy and on faculty at Boston University Tanglewood Institute during the summer. Throughout the year, Adrian continues to perform, speak and teach around the world as an advocate for disability and the arts.

Carrie Eldridge-Dickson, Managing Director, provides SMB with 10 years of experience supporting people who are homeless via her previous work in fundraising, volunteer management, and community partnerships at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. Carrie has a master’s degree in public administration from Suffolk University and a certificate in nonprofit management and leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice, in affiliation with Tufts University's Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life. Carrie is grateful for the opportunity to serve such a dynamic nonprofit. While the Beatles are her favorite composers, Carrie enjoys classical music tremendously and is delighted to be a part of providing access to transformational music to those who otherwise go without.

Erin Merceruio Nelson, Director of Development and Operations, joined the Shelter Music Boston team as Director of Development and Operations in October 2014. She previously served as the Senior Program Administrator for the Free for All Concert Fund, and as Development Assistant at Hebrew SeniorLife. As a classical singer, Erin performs actively throughout New England on both the operatic and concert stage. She is grateful for the opportunity to share her love and passion for classical music with Boston area homeless citizens.

Lauren Cook, Operations Coordinator, is a voice teacher, stage director, and arts administrator who loves supporting the SMB musicians from behind the scenes. When not acting as the scheduling and operations guru, she works as an intimacy choreographer for opera, theatre, and film, and is on the faculty of the Holden Voice Program at Harvard University. She holds an MM in Vocal Pedagogy from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.

Anna Harris, Development Associate, joined the Shelter Music Boston team in August 2022. She previously served as Development Associate for the Boston Public Library Fund, and completed an internship with Shelter Music Boston in 2019. As a classical violinist and jazz vocalist, Anna performs actively throughout the Greater Boston area. She is passionate about providing hope for others through her performances and work by bringing music to places that often go without.

Photo by Georgia Rae Teensma

Julian Loida, Children’s Program Coordinator, is a percussionist, composer, and producer. His musical curiosity and open-mindedness propels him towards a wide-range of sounds, genres, and artistic endeavors including jazz, folk, and classical, collaborating with dancers, visual artists, songwriters/composers. Julian often writes and arranges for his projects and ensembles, including film. He has been featured at Korrö, Sweden’s largest folk music festival, and played at the most prestigious music festivals in the U.S. such as Spoleto, New World Festival, the Exit Zero jazz festival, Caramoor American Roots Festival, and Round Top. He has performed with Alarm Will Sound, the Callithumpian Consort, and the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. As an educator, Loida shares his scores and deep rhythmic knowledge with students of all ages. In 2017, he received his Master’s Degree in Classical Percussion from New England Conservatory.