Shriver Hall Concert Series

We are pleased to announce the appointments of Dr. Nia Banks, Christopher Dunn, and Dr. Erik Franklin to its Board of Directors.

Dr. Nia Banks is a board-certified plastic surgeon serving the Annapolis, Washington, DC, and Baltimore areas. Upon completing her plastic surgery residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2008, Dr. Banks became the first African American female to complete the plastic surgery training program at Johns Hopkins. In 2009, she started a private practice at the Beaux Arts Institute of Plastic Surgery where she remains on the cutting edge in the field of cosmetic surgery. In 2020 she opened the Art of Balance Wellness Spa to provide wellness therapies, spa experiences, and aesthetic treatments. Dr. Banks is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses course, Chair Emeritus of the Student National Medical Association, and a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is a commissioner of the Maryland Economic Development Commission, a member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and a trustee for Baltimore Center Stage.

Christopher Dunn is a distinguished classical guitarist and accomplished music educator with an extensive background in performance and music business management. He holds a Bachelor's, Master's, and Graduate Performance Diploma in Classical Guitar Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins University, where he was awarded multiple merit-based scholarships and studied under the renowned Manuel Barrueco. Mr. Dunn is the founder of the Aurora Guitar Quartet, with which he performed internationally and at esteemed venues such as Carnegie Hall. He has also created the innovative online teaching platform, Face to Face Guitar Corp, which partnered with nonprofits to bring music education to underserved communities and led numerous successful recording projects. As President of Classical Guitar Ceremonies Inc., Mr. Dunn oversees a boutique music agency, managing over 100 events annually, recruiting talent, and spearheading marketing and operational strategies. His entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to music education have made significant contributions to the classical guitar community.

Composer and clarinetist Dr. Erik Franklin balances a vibrant, varied career on and off the stage. He has given concerts in nearly all fifty states and throughout Europe, performing for audiences large and small in venues from veterans’ homes to Carnegie Hall. A former member of the United States Army Field Band (Washington, D.C.), Dr. Franklin now performs as a soloist and chamber musician across the country as a member of the Ann Street Trio and the Heartwood Duo. Dr. Franklin's compositions have earned accolades from the National Association of Teachers of Singing and New York City's songSLAM festival. He co-founded the Patterson Park Academy of Music with his husband Joshua Espinoza in 2021, which has grown into a flourishing institution serving over 300 families and recently inaugurated a second campus in South Baltimore. Dr. Franklin holds degrees from Furman University and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and resides in Baltimore, where he is an active member of the local arts community.

Dr. Regina Anderson, Chair of the Board of Directors, shares, “I am pleased to announce the appointment of our three newly elected members to the Board of the Shriver Hall Concert Series. Dr. Nia Banks, Christopher Dunn, and Dr. Erik Franklin each bring their energetic enthusiasm, talents, and willingness to assist us with our ongoing mission of providing outstanding classical music to our community, here, in Baltimore. As Chair of the Board, I am delighted to publicly welcome them.”