2021-2022 Launchpad Music Resident

Mission Statement

Castle of our Skins is a concert and educational series committed to celebrating Black artistry and encouraging exploration into Black history and heritage. Dedicated to fostering cultural curiosity through music, Castle of our Skins is deeply aware of the lack of equity in composer representation in concert halls and the omission of important stories and figures in Black history. This lack of equal inclusion is one we hope to change. Through carefully designed educational workshops and creative concert programs, we aim to highlight the achievements of Black artists and historical figures who have slipped through the cracks of fame and history. Finishing up our 7th season, Castle of our Skins continues to change the cultural inequities deeply embedded in Classical music and highlight the beauty found within a culture too-often plagued by negative stereotypes. 

Presenting concerts with a network of professional classical chamber musicians in collaboration with visual artists, dancers, fashion designers, historians, and spoken word artists in the Greater Boston area and beyond, Castle of our Skins have held educational workshops at Copley Library, Outside the box Festival, and throughout Sofia, Bulgaria among other places for youth and adults alike. Their concert programs have been presented at the Roxbury YMCA as part of a two year Cultural Ensemble-in-Residence position; museums such as Isabella Steward Gardner Museum, Boson Children’s Museum, and Museum of African American History; venues such as Hibernian Hall, Roxbury Community College and Franklin Park; and college residencies at Gettysburg College (PA) and Brandeis University as a part of multi-day residencies involving masterclasses, lectures, panel discussions and concert programs.

Company Bio

Castle of our Skins is a concert and educational series committed to celebrating Black artistry and encouraging exploration into Black history and heritage. Dedicated to fostering cultural curiosity through music, Castle of our Skins is deeply aware of the lack of equity in composer representation in concert halls and the omission of important stories and figures in Black history. This lack of equal inclusion is one we hope to change. Through carefully designed educational workshops and creative concert programs, we aim to highlight the achievements of Black artists and historical figures who have slipped through the cracks of fame and history. Now entering our 9th season, Castle of our Skins continues to change the cultural inequities deeply embedded in Classical music and highlight the beauty and stories found within Black cultures. Presenting concerts with a network of professional classical chamber musicians in collaboration with visual artists, dancers, fashion designers, historians, and spoken word artists in the Greater Boston area and beyond, Castle of our Skins has held educational workshops at schools, libraries, and community centers among other places for youth and adults alike. Our concert programs have been presented at the Kennedy Center and Phillips Collection; museums such as Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boson Children’s Museum, and Museum of African American History; venues such as Hibernian Hall, Roxbury Community College and Franklin Park; and college residencies at Gettysburg College (PA), Brandeis University and the Longy School of Music among other institutions as a part of multi-day residencies involving masterclasses, lectures, panel discussions and concert programs.