Project STEP

A few meaningful moments from opening night of the Boston Symphony Orchestra's 146th season, celebrating Andris Nelsons' final season as Music Director, with a performance by Yo-Yo Ma.

Grateful to be in conversation with so many wonderful colleagues and leaders across Boston's music and arts education community.

Here's to building new connections, finding new ways to collaborate, and creating more opportunities for young musicians to thrive!

Left to right: Jodi Wolin, Barbara Hostetter (Trustee and Chair, Boston Symphony Orchestra), (Executive Director, Castle of Our Skins), (Executive Director, Project STEP).

Left to right: , Jodi Wolin, Ciyadh Wells (Executive Director, Castle of Our Skins), Élider DiPaula (Executive Director, Project STEP).

Left to right: Élider DiPaula (Executive Director, Project STEP), Felicia Elder (Senior Manager, Stewardship at Aspen Leadership Group; and Chorus Personnel Manager, Grant Park Music Festival), Keith Elder (President and CEO, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras).

Chris Harrigan serves as Principal Solutions Architect at the College of the Holy Cross, bringing over a decade of educational technology leadership to the role. Known for translating complex institutional needs into scalable, secure solutions, he has a proven record of strengthening technology operations, architecting systems that drive organizational effectiveness, and managing risk across dynamic academic environments.

Prior to Holy Cross, Chris held senior leadership roles in higher education — including Chief Information Officer at Boston College High School, Associate Vice President of ITS and Chief Information Security Officer at Curry College, and multiple positions at Lasell College — where he partnered with executive leadership and campus communities to navigate an ever-evolving technology landscape.

Throughout his career, Chris has remained committed to building reliable, secure technology environments that empower students, educators, and administrators. He brings that same dedication to his role on Project STEP's Board of Advisors, contributing strategic guidance on technology planning and IT resource stewardship.

Chris holds a Master's in Project Management from Lasell University, a Master's of Theological Studies from Boston College, and multiple certifications in cybersecurity, governance, and compliance.

Project STEP is so excited to have you as a part of our board.

Project STEP is delighted to announce that we received a Community Music Grant! Thank you to the D’Addario Foundation for your ongoing support of our organization and our community.

Happy International Day of Friendship!

Today, we're celebrating friendship, community, and the people who help make our mission possible.

As concludes her service on Project STEP's Board of Directors, we want to thank her for her dedication, generosity, and support over the years. We are grateful for the time, perspective, and care she brought to our organization.

Thank you, Sara, for being part of the Project STEP family!

Today we celebrate and thank Elisa Pepe for her years of dedication, leadership, and unwavering support of Project STEP.

As our former Board President and a longtime champion of our mission, Elisa has helped shape the organization in countless ways. Her thoughtful leadership, generosity, and commitment to ensuring young musicians have access to exceptional music education have left a lasting impact on our students, families, staff, and community.

Thank you, Elisa, for your vision, your advocacy, and the many years you've invested in Project STEP.

A special thank you to Malik Williams for your service as Project STEP's Parent Representative on our Board of Directors.

Your firsthand perspective and support helped shape decisions that put our students and families first. We're so grateful for your dedication, thoughtful leadership, and commitment to our community.

Thank you, , for making a lasting difference! 💙

Today we're celebrating and thanking Ashe Gordon for their incredible service on the Project STEP Board of Directors.

Your leadership, dedication, and unwavering commitment have helped strengthen our mission and expand opportunities for the young musicians we serve. Thank you for sharing your time, expertise, and passion with our community.

We are deeply grateful for your impact and wish you all the best in your next chapter.

Thank you, for everything you've done for Project STEP!

Congratulations to recent STEP graduate Sofia Graupera (harp) who will be attending Harvard College with a concentration in Economics and Music! 🎶🎓

Congratulations to graduating senior student Alba Gilabert-Reid! 🎓🎶

Congratulations to graduating senior student Ameerah Manigat! 🎓🎶