Castle of our Skins

For the past eight seasons, Castle of our Skins (COOS) has worked to bring Boston’s long, rich, and unheralded history of Black excellence in classical music center stage. This ensemble makes long-term commitments to program the music, stories, and cultural relevancy of African diasporic composers, countering approaches that otherize Blackness in music history. COOS is at a critical inflection point, expanding under the leadership of Ashleigh Gordon, artistic and executive director, to meet demand while maintaining a high standard for programming. Facing a classical music field with a relative lack of materials and experience presenting the work of African diasporic composers, COOS is also assessing the feasibility of establishing a new music publishing and recording arm.