SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCASTS AND OTHERS ARE DRAWING ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS.

OTHER WAY WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

I AM COHOSTING MORNING EDITION AND YOUR HOST THIS EVENING.

TONIGHT MUSIC FROM CASTLE OF OUR SKINS, A BLACK ART INSTITUTION THAT CELEBRATES BLACK AND BROWN ARTISTRY.

PERFORMING TWO PIECES FROM THE ALBUM AMASH -- HOMASH.

JOINING US IS MATTHEW, THE VINYL LIST -- VINYL LIST, A CELLIST, AND ASHLEY GORDON, CO-FOUNDER, ARTISTIC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND VIOLIST FOR CASTLE OF OUR SKINS.

WELCOME, ALL OF YOU.

HERE NOW, PERFORMING THEIR PEACE, WEIGHED IN THE WATER -- WADE IN THE WATER.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> ASHLEY GORDON, HELLO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

IT IS A PLEASURE TO SPEAK WITH YOU AND IT IS A TREAT TO HAVE YOU PERFORM IN THE STUDIO.

>> THANK YOU.

>> TELLS ABOUT THE PIECE YOU JUST PERFORMED.

>> FREDERICK TILLIS, THE COMPOSER IS ONE WHO LIVED IN MASSACHUSETTS.

LIVED AND TAUGHT AT UMASS AMHERST AND WROTE SOME DOZENS OF SPIRITUAL FANTASIES FROM WHICH THIS COMES FROM.

SPIRITUALS IN THE STORYTELLING, NOSTALGIA, HISTORY, THE BLACK EXPERIENCE WAS SOMETHING HE WAS EXPIRED BY -- INSPIRED BY AND WANTED TO ENGAGE WITH.

WADE IN THE WATER BEING SPIRITUAL AND TUMULTUOUS INTERPRETATION.

THE WATER IS SOME THOSE ROCKY THEY CAN INTERPRET FROM THE PERFORMANCE.

ONE THAT IS A TREAT FOR US TO PLAY.

VERY FUN IN TERMS OF CHAMBER MUSIC AND ALLOWS FOR VARIOUS EXPRESSIONS OF BLACK SPIRITUALS IN JAZZ.

>> IT STRIKES ME IT IS A SPIRITUAL FANTASY, SO OFTEN WE HEAR ABOUT NEGRO SPIRITUALS BE SPECIFIC WE ARE TAKEN BACK TO THE TIME PERIOD OF SLAVERY AND THE STRUGGLE.

IT IS QUITE WHIMSICAL IN MANY WAYS, LEVITATING, IT IS NICE TO HEAR THAT INTERPRETATION COMES THROUGH.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE MUSICIANS WE HAVE TODAY, FRANCESCA, MATTHEW, GABRIELA.

>> WE HAVE ALL PLAYED TOGETHER FOR SOME DECADES, PROBABLY DOUBLE -- COLLECTIVELY IN DIFFERENT ITERATIONS.

SOME OF US WENT TO SCHOOLS TOGETHER WE ALL WENT TO NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY AT VARIOUS TIMES.

CHAMBER MUSIC IS PROBABLY A MIDDLE NAME FOR LOTS OF US.

BEING ABLE TO PERFORM TOGETHER IS A TREAT.

WE, AS CASTLE OF OUR SKINS, ENGAGE IN THE MUSIC OF AFRICAN DESPERATE PERFORMERS -- MEXICO, LATIN AMERICA, HAITI, JAMAICA, ON OUR ALBUM, JAMAICA, NIGERIA.

ENGAGING WITH VARIOUS JAR AND EXPRESSIONS OF CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS AS WELL -- GEOGRAPHIES, EXPRESSIONS, AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS AS WELL.

COME TOGETHER AS CHAMBER MUSIC, THE MOST DEMOCRATIC FORM OF TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE, BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS ONESELF IN GIVING SPACE WORKING COLLABORATION.

IT IS FUN TO BEAST -- TO DO SO.

DESPITE DIFFERENCES IN COMMUNICATION IT IS A TREAT TO DO.

>> IS IN ITS --CASTLE OF OUR SKINS IS IN ITS 10TH SEASON.

TELL ME HOW IT CAME TOGETHER.

>> I AM A PART CO-FOUNDER ALONG WITH ANTHONY.

WE MET AT NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY DURING OUR MASTERS.

A BLACK PIANIST, A BLACK COMPOSER I WAS OBSESSED WITH CONTEMPORARY MUSIC.

DEFINED EACH OTHER -- TO FIND EACH OTHER WHEN THERE WAS NO BLACK STUDENT UNIONS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE EACH OTHER'’S GIFTS.

TO BE ABLE TO COLLABORATE AND CONNECT AND WE HAVE BEEN FRIENDS VERY MUCH SENSE.

I WANTED TO EXPLORE WHAT WE HAD NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE EXPOSED TO IN SCHOOLS.

IT WAS OTHER COMPOSERS, OTHER PERFORMERS, WITH SIMILAR CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS AS HE AND I.

OF COURSE BEING ABLE TO DO ANY SMALL RESEARCH AND WE HAVE DONE MORE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AT THIS POINT.

THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF OUR PRESENTATION.

500 PLUS YEARS OF BLACK EXPRESSION IN THIS MEDIUM THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER CLASSICAL MUSIC.

THAT WAS VERY INSPIRING FOR US TO TAP INTO AND KNOW THAT IN A CITY SUCH AS BOSTON, ONE THAT PRIDES ITSELF WITH HISTORY, PRIDES ITSELF WITH CULTURE AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION.

CERTAINLY AGASSI INSTITUTIONS TO KNOW THAT BOSTON GROUND HAS SUCH A RICH HISTORY.

HAS BEEN WALKED ON AND PERFORMED AND PUBLISHED AND ENGAGED SO MANY MUSICOLOGISTS, PERFORMERS, RECORDING COMPANIES, TOURING ARTISTS, SOLD OUT PERFORMANCES AT SYMPHONY HALL, OUR ALMA MATER NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY BEING A SCHOOL THAT TURNED OUT MANY MANY BLACK PERFORMERS AND COMPOSERS AND ASKED -- ETC..

IT FELT EMPOWERING TO BE ABLE TO LITERALLY SHINE A LIGHT ON THAT.

TO USE A PLATFORM SUCH AS MUSICMAKING TO BE ABLE TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THAT.

THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING WE HAD SEEN NECESSARILY HAPPENING IN BOSTON.

OF COURSE DURING -- DOING MORE RESEARCH YOU KNOW BEING PART OF A LEGACY, WE ARE NOT A FIRST.

CASTLE OF OUR SKINS IS CERTAINLY NOT THE FIRST, WE VERY MUCH ACKNOWLEDGE THE HISTORY OF BLACK REPRESENTATION IN PERFORMING.

TO KEEP THAT FIRE CHURNING, I GUESS, KNOWING THAT HISTORY HAS BEEN A JOY ALL THESE 10 YEARS TO DO.

>> THERE IS A NEED FOR THAT VISIBILITY AND REPRESENTATION.

ACCORDING TO THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS, BLACK MUSICIANS IN ORCHESTRA, ONLY MAKEUP 1.4% OF ORCHESTRAS.

YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS DEEPLY RICH AND EXTENSIVE 500 PLUS YEAR HISTORY OF BLACK CLASSICAL MUSIC.

WE COULD PULL OUT AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS WHY THAT DISPARITY IS THERE, BUT WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE THAT?

EXPOSING PEOPLE TO THIS MUSIC EARLIER FROM BLACK COMPOSERS?

IS IT MORE ALL BLACK, ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR ORCHESTRAS?

>> I THINK THERE IS A FEW THOUGHTS AND IDEAS I CAN SHARE.

NONE OF WHICH ARE SINGULAR SOLUTIONS.

I THINK THE PUZZLE PIECING OF ALL OF THEM, ULTIMATELY.

FOR ME THE LARGEST IS CONTINUITY.

KNOWING HISTORY, IT OPERATES IN CYCLES.

THERE IS A WAVE, THAT WE ARE IN, POTENTIALLY ON THE TAIL END, A WAVE OF EXCITEMENT, OF EXPOSURE, OF SATURATION.

AND THEN FLATLINE COLLECTIVE AMNESIA.

LOOKING AT HISTORY, AGAIN CASTLE OF OUR SKINS IS NOT THE FIRST FELLOWSHIP FOR BLACK MUSICIANS.

NOT THE FIRST TIME THERE HAVE BEEN INITIATIVE PROJECT FOR COMPOSERS OF COLOR BY LARGE SIN THAT THESE, NOT THE FIRST STEADY BY THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ORCHESTRA.

THERE IS ENERGY THAT THIS COLLECTIVE AMNESIA, THIS FLATLINE.

AN ANSWER I LIKE TO SHARE IS ULTIMATELY HAS TO COME FROM PASSION AND INTENTION.

IT CANNOT BE SO FIXATED ON ANY ONE PARTICULAR PERSON.

IN TERMS OF AN INSTITUTION, FOR INSTANCE A LARGE LEGACY INSTITUTION OR AN ORCHESTRA.

IT HAS TO BE BUILT INTO A 30, 50 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.

I CANNOT BE TIED TO THE CURRENT CEO OR PRESIDENT WORK THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE DEI TASK FORCE.

UNDERSTANDING THAT FOR THE LONG HAUL WE NEED CONSTANT EXPOSURE IN ORDER FOR THE COMMON LAYPERSON TO HAVE A SENSE OF FAMILIARITY.

THINK OF SOMETHING -- THINK OF LISTENING TO SOMETHING ON THE RADIO.

THE MORE TIME TO HEAR IT IT IS IN YOUR WARM.

THE CONSISTENCY OF EXPOSURE IS PROBABLY THE MOST, THE LARGEST HURDLE HAVE TO FIGHT AGAINST.

THAT CONSISTENCY OF EXPOSURE IS MARRIED WITH A WAYNE IN A TENT -- WAYNE IN ATTETION -- ATTENTION.

THE BLACK ORCHESTRAS, THE SEASON OUT OF 125 SEASONS YOU GIVE IT, TO HAVE A HIGHLIGHT IS PART OF A SOLUTION.

.

KEEP THAT CONSISTENCY.

>> KEEP THAT SAME ENERGY.

>> KEEP THE ENERGY AND MOMENTUM ON AN INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL.

FOR THE US IT IS CASTLE OF OUR SKINS.

PAST MY TENURE CERTAINLY, FIRST AT THE CONSISTENCY OF RECOGNITION THAT EXPOSURE IS IMPORTANT.

CONSISTENT EXPOSURE IS IMPORTANT.

>> TELL ME MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT EXPOSURE LOOKS LIKE FOR CASTLE OF OUR SKINS.

URINE CONCERT HALLS, CLASSROOMS, BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH YOUR ARTISTRY.

>> YES, BOTH ANTHONY GREEN AND MYSELF AND ALL OF US ARE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SHARE.

THAT HAS TAKEN THE FORM OF EATING ABLE TO DO WHAT WE CALL EDUCATION ENTERTAINMENT RECITALS.

SHARING THE HISTORY IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, WHERE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO SO.

INITIATIVES COMING OF THE FUTURE INCLUDES PUBLISHING 30 CULTURAL RESPONSIBLE GUIDES, CREATING PIECES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL, STRING, CORAL, WIND ENSEMBLE.

FOR STUDENTS, PUBLISHING FOR PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH.

ANOTHER PROJECT NEAR ENDURE TO OUR HEART FALLS IN THE EDUCATIONAL SPACE.

BEING ABLE TO PARTNER WITH OTHER IS ADDITIONS LIKE THE SPHINX, THE ORGANIZATION.

AN ORGANIZATION D.C. THAT FOCUSES ON PROMOTING WOMEN AND NON-GENDER PERFORMING COMPOSERS.

A SISTER ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON BLACK ARTISTRY.

DOING AS MUCH EXPOSURE AND INNOVATION -- INTERVENTION AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.

NOT TO SAY THAT THIS GENERATION IS DOOMED.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT VISIBILITY IS IMPORTANT.

HISTORY IS IMPORTANT.

THE CONSISTENCY AND INSPIRATION FROM AND KNOWING THAT THERE IS -- THERE HAS BEEN MOMENTUM AND IT IS WHEN WE REALLY NEED TO CONTINUE.

THAT SORT OF REPRESENTATION IS IMPORTANT HISTORICALLY.

BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE IMMEDIACY OF INFORMATION ON BEHALF OF EDUCATORS.

TO KNOW THAT HERE IS A CONTAINER WHICH HAS THE HISTORICAL FACTS.

IT HAS A MUSIC.

IT HAS LESSONS PLAN -- PLANS.

SO WE CAN ULTIMATELY SPREAD BEYOND THE GEOGRAPHIC VOCATION IN BOSTON AND ENGAGE WITH AS MANY PEOPLE -- LOCATION HERE IN BOSTON AND ENGAGE WITH AS MANY PEOPLE IMPOSSIBLE -- AS POSSIBLE.

WE HAVE A MINIATURE CHALLENGE WHERE WE HAVE LACK --BLACK COMPOSERS THAT IDENTIFY AS PART OF THE AFRICAN DS BORA -- WE HAVE HAD COMPOSERS FROM LATIN AMERICA.

FROM BRAZIL.

FROM THE STATES.

CANADA, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA.

ALLOWED FOR THAT TO BE SHARED BROADLY.

FOR US, 365 7 DAYS IS WHERE OUR HEART IS IN THE BY EXAMPLE TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS DO THE SAME.

>> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EXTENDING THAT REACH.

WE SEE CLASSICAL MUSIC POP UP IN ALL SORTS OF POPULAR FORMS OF MUSIC.

I THING ABOUT LIZZO PLAYING JAMES MEDICINE'’S FLUTE -- MADISON'’S FLUTE.

I HAVE AN DOING A DEEP DIVE INTO THE WU-TANG CLAN, THE STRINGS ON WU-TANG UNITED.

THE SONG REUNITED.

THE PUERTO RICAN QUATTRO THAT SHOWS UP AT THE BIDDING OF D'’ESPOSITO.

DO YOU FIND THAT TO BE A BRIDGE FOR OTHER GENERATIONS ARE THE PEOPLE THAT FEEL CLOSED OUT OF CLASSICAL MUSIC?

>> SURE.

YES.

DEFTLY A BRIDGE, HISTORICALLY NOT NEW.

THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO BE RESOURCEFUL.

THE IDEA OF STORYTELLERS, INDIGENOUS AFRICAN CULTURES THAT WOULD USE HISTORY AND THEATER AND DANCE AND MOVEMENT IN MUSIC.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE COMBINE ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO COMBINE ALL MEDIUMS PRESENT IS NOT A NEW INVENTION.

IT IS NOT A NEW WAY OF OPERATING.

CERTAINLY IT ALLOWS FOR A MULTIPLE ENTRY POINT.

WHICH COME ON BEHALF OF MUSIC PERIOD.

LET ALONE WHAT CLASSIFICATION WANT TO IDENTIFY THIS.

IT INVITES WONDER.

IT INVITES CURIOSITY.

IT INVITES ENGAGEMENT.

FOR US WE UNDERSTAND IS THAT HAS A MAGICAL POWER TO BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT OR TO RESIDENT, ELEVATE YOUR HEART RATE OR SLOW IT DOWN.

WHY NOT OPEN THE POSSIBILITIES WITH COLLABORATION AND ENGAGEMENT?

>> YOU MENTIONED, THE DIVERSE BACKGROUND OF THE MUSICIANS YOU ARE HERE WITH NOW.

THE MUSICIANS YOU WORK WITH ALL THE TIME.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT EVERYONE BRINGS THE TABLE AND SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU PLAYED MUSIC, FOR INSTANCE ALL MODULE -- MUSIC FROM THE AFRICAN DESPRA .

IS THERE A CHANGE IN THE MUSIC DEPENDING ON WHO IS PLAYING IT AND WHOM HAS WRITTEN?

>> YES.

SOME OF IT I THINK IS CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND WE BRING.

IT IS SO SPECIFIC WHEN THE FOUR OF US ARE PLAYING AND AS SOON AS YOU CHANGE ONE PERSON IT IS A DIFFERENT VARIANCE.

-- EXPERIENCE.

THE MAGIC AND BEAUTY OF QUARTETS THAT STAY AND LIVE TOGETHER AND PERFORM FOR 30 SOME ODD YEARS.

THESE UNSPOKEN KNOWLEDGE THAT THE PERSON MAY HAVE OR THE PERSON MAY BRING AND BE ABLE TO TAP INTO THAT.

FOR SOME PIECES, THAT ENGAGE WITH A SPECIFIC STYLE OF MUSIC OR A SPECIFIC CULTURE, SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER.

NOT NECESSARILY AS CODED, FOR INSTANCE.

WORKING WITH PEOPLE OF THE CULTURE.

OR WHO HAVE SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THAT EASE.

>> HAVE ANOTHER PIECE THAT YOU ARE ALL PERFORMING FOR US.

IT IS CALLED CRUCIFIXION, HE NEVER SAID A MUMBLING WORD TICKET -- TAKE IT AWAY.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] PARIS: WHAT A MOVING PIECE.

THAT WAS CASTLE OF OUR SKINS PERFORMING CRUCIFIXION HE NEVER SAID A MUMBLIN'’WORD.

YOU CAN LEARN MORE AT CASTL ESKINS.ORG THAT IS THE END OF THE BROADCAST IN THE END OF THE SHOW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

[MUSIC]