CASTLE OF OUR SKINS - BIBA Blog

4/16/2021

Longy BSU Takeover!

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This week, Castle of our Skins turned our Instagram over to the Black Student Union (BSU) at the Longy School of Music of Bard College! Read more about their organization and check out our Instagram @castleskins to learn more about the Black conservatory student experience in 2021.

The Longy Black Student Union exists to serve as a place 1) of fellowship for students and alumni of the Longy School of Music of Bard College, 2) to raise awareness for minorities (especially from the African diaspora), 3) to foment and moderate open discussions on any and all topics related to race, diversity, socio-economic status, gender, inclusion, and intersectionality, 4) to promote and celebrate the accomplishments of Black creatives, and 6) to curate events that highlight elements of the Black experience.

We were founded in 2019 by twelve students and staff members who noticed that Black students within the Longy community needed additional support in navigating the classical realm as well as the Cambridge/Boston area. We anticipate that our current membership of fifteen will double within the next couple of years as we prepare to welcome more Black immigrant students through Longy’s international programs and more Black American students through Longy’s partnership with Alabama State University.

Despite the difficulty of the pandemic, we have been able to continue virtual programming around issues like Black agency within Black music, connecting across the Afro-diaspora, and healing Black trauma. We hope that we will be able to open back up to more in-person programming opportunities one day soon. Until then we enjoy bi-weekly check-ins concerning the wellness of our members and monthly conversations with the Longy community at-large.

4/11/2021

Shirley Graham Du Bois Creative-in-Residence

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Castle of our Skins is seeking out our second Shirley Graham Du Bois Creative-in-Residence! This program – funded through a generous donation from Arlene and Larry Dunn – kicked off its inaugural year for our 8th season, with the stunning Tanyaradzwa Tawengwa at the helm. Nobody could have predicted the drastic change in the world, but Tanyaradzwa handled these changes with the same dignity, grace, and enthusiasm she takes into every project. Creating an incredible video for out “Black Love” project, prepping for curation and performance for our “From the Motherland” project, leading an educational workshop, gearing up to write BIBA Blogs, and more, Castle of our Skins has undeniably benefited from Tanyaradzwa, and her artistry will have a strong impact on us for years to come!

Would you like to collaborate with Castle of our Skins in this capacity or in other creative efforts? Do you know someone who would benefit from this collaboration? Then check out the call HERE, and act quickly as the application deadline is MAY 5TH! While you can read the details of the call on the official page, this blog post is to provide a bit of extra information to the mix. And, of course, if you and any of your friends and colleagues have any specific questions about this opportunity, please don’t hesitate to e-mail us at info [at] castleskins [dot] org!

1) This position is open to any creative artist. In our history, Castle of our Skins has worked with visual artists, spoken word artists, fashion designers, culinary artists, interdisciplinary artists, dancers, historians, writers, transmedia artists, and more. IF YOU ARE A CREATIVE ARTIST UNDER 40 YEARS OLD WORKING IN ANY GENRE OF ARTISTIC CREATIVITY, THIS OPPORTUNITY IS FOR YOU!

2) Castle of our Skins has a clear mission : we are dedicated to celebrating Black Artistry through Music. Therefore, if you are applying to this opportunity, be sure to be prepared to clearly explain (in your proposal and in any interview) how your practice fits with our mission.

3) Last year, we had and gladly accepted applicants working in photography, documentary film, music composition, music performance, music improvisation, philosophy and performance art, and more. Many of the applicants were interdisciplinary artists, combining music with visual art, photography with dance, and more. We encourage thinking outside the box!

4) Do we have any pre-conceived expectations of what the second Shirley Graham Du Bois Creative-in-Residence (CiR) will do for Castle of our Skins? Yes and no, but mostly no! We expect the new CiR to write at least three BIBA Blog posts, be available for consultation, and design/curate some projects with Castle of our Skins. But, as you can imagine, there is a high amount of creative freedom in this position! And also remember that the $1,ooo honorarium is SEPARATE from additional curational and project-related fees that will develop throughout the season.

Hopefully these additional tips and tidbits will encourage you to apply or encourage you to send this call to the creative people in your life. We look forward to receiving and reading as many applications as possible, and selecting our second annual Shirley Graham Du Bois Creative-in-Residence!

4/4/2021

The music of Indigenous Composers

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by Anthony R. Green

Happy Easter, to all who celebrate!

Today’s BIBA Blog post is, admittedly, the furthest post away from Castle of our Skins’s mission of “Celebrating Black Artistry through Music” as this post is about the compositions and music artistry of indigenous composers. While these composers are not Black or belonging to the African diaspora, the past four years have seen a massive increase in hate crimes against MANY peoples of diverse cultural backgrounds and abilities. 2021 has been particularly focused on the massive increase in hate crimes against the AAPI community, and it is incredible that people are speaking out against such hate crimes. It is important for humanity to come together in support and community. That is why Castle of our Skins is taking this moment to acknowledge the injustice against many diverse peoples, and using this particular blog space to uplift the Native American community, a community often left out of many conversations concerning equality, justice, and freedom.

Recently, our neighbors at Shelter Music Boston have started to release videos from their “Voices from the Land” project, focusing on mostly young Native American composers. They include Xavier Ben, Sialik King, Gemal Benallie, Arika Morningstar, Christina Shupla, Gregory Cortez, Sage Bond, Dennalia Stevens, Thylia Yazzie, Cina Curley, and Damien Jones, and they were mentored by Michael Begay and Raven Chacon (who I had the pleasure of meeting in 2019 in Omaha, NE). This project is in collaboration with the Native American Composers Apprentice Project (NACAP), which is a nationally recognized program that has shared the art of composition with many indigenous youth. In these videos, you’ll also hear the beautiful violin playing of a friend of Castle of our Skins, Annegret Klaua! And remember to keep this blog in mind on August 9th, which is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, October 12th, which is Indigenous Peoples Day (started in 1992), and November, which is Native American Heritage Month.

Check out this project from Shelter Music Boston HERE, and enjoy your own exploration into the music of Native American Composers!

3/13/2021

Power of her voice

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Overview

FROM BIRTH, OUR VOICES, EXPRESSING NEED AND DESIRE, ARE TOOLS IN SERVICE TO OUR SENSE OF AGENCY. BY THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE FROM LEGITIMIZED POWER STRUCTURES, CERTAIN GROUPS HAVE BEEN STRIPPED OF THIS TOOL AND LEFT WITHOUT A SAY THROUGHOUT HISTORY. THEY'VE BEEN TOLD THEY WERE TOO WEAK, UNWISE, OR UNREFINED TO DECIDE THEIR OWN FATES. YET, THROUGH THE STRENGTH OF THEIR OWN HUMANITY, THESE PEOPLE FOUND WAYS TO EXPRESS WHAT THEY KNEW TO BE RIGHT, REAL, AND NECESSARY. WITH ITS PULL ON THE HUMAN HEART, THE ARTS PROVIDED SPACE EVEN IN THE RACIALIZED, PATRIARCHAL WESTERN WORLD FOR BLACK WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTIONS. BLACK WOMEN ARE AT THE INTERSECTION OF TWO IDENTITY GROUPS THAT WERE AND STILL ARE EXPERIENCING VIOLENT OPPRESSION IN MANY INSTANCES. YET, THROUGH AN ORIENTATION TO THE ARTS, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STAKE THEIR CLAIM ON WHAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE DEEMED A WHITE MALE PATRIARCHAL WORLD. THEY HAVE, AND CONTINUE TO, SHAPE IT IN THEIR OWN IMAGE, USING THE VERY PARTICULAR EXPERIENCE OF BEING BLACK AND WOMAN IN AMERICA AS INSPIRATION.

FROM PAST TO PRESENT, OF THE VOICE, OF THE STRINGS, AND THE PEN, BLACK WOMEN HAVE ENTERED UNWELCOMING SPACES BUT WITH BRAVERY AND AUDACITY MADE A TRUTHFUL NOISE. THERE WAS FRANCIS WATKINS PARKER (1825-1911); THERE WAS FLORENCE PRICE (1887-1953); AND THERE IS, TODAY, OUR VERY OWN VALERIE COLEMAN. ALL THREE OF THESE WOMEN AND THEIR WORK ARE SHOWCASED IN THE CASTLE OF OUR SKINS KENNEDY CENTER ARTS ACROSS AMERICAN CONCERT: “THE POWER OF HER VOICE!”

WATCH AND ENJOY!

Francis ellen Watkins harper

Born free in the antebellum south, wielded her pen and her love of knowledge to fight for justice for her people. Her battlefield was the pulpit, and her weapon was the word—or, let’s say, the truth! She was a poet, an author, and a traveling lecturer for abolitionist and suffrage organizations like the Maine Anti-Slavery Society and the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. And in May of 1866 she spoke at the Eleventh National Women’s convention in New York. Her famous speech, “We Are All Bound Up Together,” was groundbreaking for its time. In it, she lamented the complacency of white women suffragists when it came to working on behalf of and in collaboration with Black women struggling for rights and for justice. Ms. Watkins used her agency and her voice to enumerate the problems of disunity among those experiencing the same plight. She voiced this truth using the literary styles and political traditions that were historically used to silence her. And she did it with her people in mind.

There are instances of such bravery among creatives in other artforms as well, like...

Florence Price

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1887, she was a published composer, passionate educator, and highly proficient performer. After studying at Boston’s New England Conservatory, and teaching back in Little Rock, she eventually found a creative community in Chicago when she moved in 1927. And it was there that she developed a distinct sound, often featuring Black contemporary and historical musical trends. This was a brave statement in those days because it asserted the relevance of Black musical invention in the world of classical form. Her unique sound earned her the Wanamaker Prize in 1932 and a performance of her award-winning Symphony #1 by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra the following year. The piece's third movement is renowned for its celebration of a musical, movement-oriented tradition called Pattin' Juba, which began with Black enslaved people, in response to despotic conditions in the antebellum south. When Chicago Symphony Orchestra played it all those years ago, it would be the first time a major orchestra played a symphony by a Black woman composer.

The tradition of Black women composers, bringing alternative cultural references to the forefront of their work did not end with Ms. Price. It but has extended into modern day with creatives such as

Valerie coleman

a flutist and composer who has become a vital presence in the modern musical canon. It is a special coincidence that certain aspects of Ms. Coleman and Ms. Price’s life path mirrors one another. Like Price, Coleman was already composing and performing in her teenage years. Continuing into her adulthood, her compositions are often inspired by the histories of despair and triumph that have shaped communities of color. This is, no doubt, similar to how Price weaved the syncopated rhythms of a Black musical invention through her work. And finally, Coleman's piece, Umoja, which she composed in 2002, was played by the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2019. As was a similar case with Price's Symphony #1 in Chicago, Umoja was the first composition by a living Black woman to be played by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Coleman fills her predecessors' shoes so effortlessly--and to do so with a composition as grounded in Black diasporic experience as Umoja! The full name title of the piece is Umoja, Anthem for Unity, and was listed under "Top 101 Great American Works" by Chamber Music America. It was originally composed for the wind quintet she helped found: the Imani Winds. Ms. Coleman has a knack and a passion for giving voice to pan-African themes in her musical pursuits. The words "Imani" and "Umoja" are Swahili words known in popular culture as virtues celebrated during Kwanzaa. Perhaps her compositions, too, are meant to celebrate blackness!

In a way, the lives of all three of these women give voice to the Black experience. We hope you enjoyed hearing from them through this performance by Castle of our Skins String!
Performed live at the historic African American Meeting House of the Museum of African American History in Boston on August 17, 2020.

The program includes the following music:
- "Source Code" by Jessie Montgomery
- "String Quartet in A minor" by Florence B. Price
- "Umoja" by Valerie Coleman

With historical contextualization by L’Merchie Frazier, Director of Education and Interpretation for the Museum of African Americans.

Reflection & Discussion

As you watch the Castle of our Skins and learn more about the life and work of Francis Atkins Walker, think about these questions and then discuss:

1. How do these three women exemplify power and strength within their art, genre, and community?

2. How is composing and performing politically charged work comparable to writing and speaking it? What are the differences or similarities in its effect on the listener?

3. Who are three women, composers of words or music, who you admire, that exemplify power in the way we’ve discussed it?

4. In what craft is your “voice” the strongest? And when have you used it? When and where do you aspire to use it. (ex/: at a convention? An orchestra?)

5. What aspect of your culture would you include in your craft/art form? And what political problems would you reference?

12/20/2020

All Around You

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by Anthony R. Green

This blog is a delayed one. The Castle of our Skins BLACK LOVE month was, indeed, last month, however our Kurapa Project has NOT been removed. Why? Healing is not just a month-long process! And even if one goes through a cycle of healing, that does not mean the effects last forever. One can go through the cycle constantly, and learn more and more about oneself, the world, and the process. With that - the last blog focusing on "Air - Mweya" was not published when it was supposed to be (as indicated at the end of the "Fire - Moto" post). And that is why it is appearing today - delayed, but not forgotten. With that, for today's post, keep in mind that after burning, material breaks down, and part of that process yields transformations that become part of the air we breathe.

image from kurapa.webflow.io

In this last prompt, it is implied that this concept of air has many implications: what we breathe, wind, our own breath, the transformation of smoke into "something bigger" (smoke disseminating into the air). Smoke can also be used for smoke signals - a method of communication, especially amongst indigenous cultures in times of emergencies. With this, the smoke from our "moto" can be a communicative smoke that eventually settles or transforms into the air we breathe. It completes the process: from the ether, condensation of our thoughts and energies falls down into the water, feeding entities within the earth, which absorbs and grows. Refining fires separate the necessary impurities, and the rest rises into the air, eventually becoming part of the ether. And the cycle can then continue, constantly bringing healing, and affecting our environments.

Have you incorporated Kurapa into your life? It is never too late to begin healing!

If you have participated in this process, be sure to leave some feedback for the creators!

12/13/2020

beyond/apex

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by Anthony R. Green

Today's BIBA is about Beyond/Apex, a bi-weekly online radio program run by composer and trumpet player Forbes Graham. The title comes from a past project that did not come to fruition. However, the title spoke to Graham as a representation of the idea of "going beyond the limits, in something of a personal way; going beyond what you think you can do." Since it began in late March this year, it has featured music by over 100 artists. Graham runs this show by himself; it is, for him, "a small gesture of support" to artists who have been compromised during this period.

photo by Lillian Graham

According to Graham: "The show primarily focuses on music from the last two decades. There are exceptions to that, however. I have played music from as far back as the 60s. I very much stick within 'avant-garde' or 'experimental' music, but that covers such a variety including noise, free jazz, new music, music concrete, non-idiomatic free improv, etc. And that's part of the philosophy, to bring these musics together in the show. I hope that listeners do discover music they didn't know about before. If someone likes Arthur Brooks, perhaps they haven't heard Nomi Epstein. I want the show to include artists from all kinds of backgrounds. All kinds of approaches to making music/sound, educational backgrounds, racial and ethnic identity, gender identity, and so on. Even though it's not vernacular music, I want to be welcoming and door opening.

"My future plans mainly involve deciding whether I want to do featured interviews with artists or theme-related shows. Besides that I'm also looking at how I can really stay true to the mission of having a show that has a diverse array of artists. It's really easy to slip into being lazy when picking things to play on the show. I want to make sure that I'm dedicating time and effort to discovering new artists, which is a lot of fun."

While Graham admits to frequently listening to music, Beyond/Apex has helped Graham get more engaged with current trends from contemporary artists. He has particularly enjoyed engaging with the music and artistry Eleanor Alberga, Jeffrey Mumford, and Lucia Dlugoszewski.

To listen to Beyond/Apex, visit: http://beyondapexshow.com

To learn more about Forbes Graham, visit: http://www.forbesgrahammusic.com, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram, @forbesgraham_

11/29/2020

burn - rebuild

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by Anthony R. Green

The healing continues with the Kurapa Project - part of the Black Love month brought to you by Castle of our Skins. Healing can look like many things and can happen through a variety of methods. There is no right or wrong way to heal if what you do leads eventually to healing. And while this project has weekly prompts throughout the month of November, the ideas of Kurapa are not restricted to November 2020. It is highly encouraged to continually contemplate these prompts and these ideas in your everyday life, and take these philosophies with you long after this Black Love celebration. Kurapa is a gift for you forever.

image from kurapa.webflow.io

This past week's prompt was Fire - Moto. I personally approached Moto with the physical image of burning down something old in a safe, controlled manner, to create a fertile foundation upon which one can build something new. There are quite a number of such practices around the world, including demolition with explosives, forestry practices, farming techniques, and more. Philosophically, one can think about the three-word phrase of a popular song from the animated movie Frozen : let it go! How can we let things go? At times it involves abandoning and never looking back. Other times it includes active destruction - an involved, complicated process to rid the mind, body, and spirit of the very systems that have prevented growth and development.

Moto evokes the concept of refining fire - a process popularly used to remove impurities from metals such as lead, tin, and copper. After the refining process by fire, the result is purity, glistening appearances, and maturity. This same idea is in the biblical parable of the wheat and the weeds, where it is suggested that the weeds and the wheat grow together to a point where the weeds can be separated and burned. Through the burning, our pain can be transformed into lessons and teachings. In contemplating our pain, be sure to protect yourself and gauge your level of engagement. This is not a time to suffer, but to heal. While there is pain in healing, we must always be mindful of ourselves and, as the prompt says, "be kind with ourselves."

The next week is the final week: Air - Mweya!

11/22/2020

The In Slowly Comes Out

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by Anthony R. Green

This past week was week three of "The Kurapa Project", which is part of Castle of our Skins's Black Love project. This project is an online sequence of steps that we can take to begin a journey of healing. This process can be utilized by all, and it is inspired by African traditions. Have you began a healing journey already? Would you like to begin one? No matter where you are in your process, The Kurapa Project can be an important slice of your healing pie.

image from kurapa.webflow.io

Last week's Kurapa prompt was Earth - Ivhu. Kurapa describes this stage loosely: "Earth - Cocoon stage. Intake, learning, absorption." In this stage, as our roots dig deeper, our inner healing starts to manifest itself in external ways. There is a focus on daily routine in this stage. Personally, this is the most difficult aspect of Ivhu for me. I do not have a daily routine that is practice-based. For example, I do not stretch or meditate or pray or write every day. If I were to claim anything as a daily routine, it would be my daily acknowledgement of my Blackness. However, Kurapa is encouraging me to take on a daily healing ritual, and affirming that this ritual can be non-intrusive, but loaded with meaning and power.

This prompt, so far, is the most challenging for me. Which of the prompts is the most challenging for you?

Next week's prompt is: fire - moto!

11/15/2020

Black Love; Healing

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by Anthony R. Green

Did you catch Black Love? Thus far, Black Love has been one of the most ambitious projects from Castle of our Skins, especially with respect to the musical/sound offerings. Black Love blends standard string quartets with a digital song cycle movement from Shirley Graham Du Bois Creative-in-Resident Tanyaradzwa Tawengwa, and a 25-minute sound healing journey from the young, incredibly talented South African composer Monthati Masebe. In typical fashion, Black Love incorporates spoken word, dance, and creative visuals, adjusted for the digital realm. It is a journey ... and today is the LAST DAY to see it!

That said, for the rest of the month, the online healing space KURAPA is available, and ready for you to follow!

image from kurapa.webflow.io

This week past week, the theme was Water - Mvura. For last week, the focus was on changes - both big and small. The world right now is undergoing a major change, and contemplating Mvura places one in the mindset of weathering these big and small storms of global and personal change. While the current pandemic has been a heavy weight on humanity in so many ways, one must NOT ignore any other changes that have recently occurred, be it related to health, finances, interests, relationships, or other areas. Mvura reminds the soul that, like water, the phenomenon of change is liquid. Sometimes we can control change, but more often than not, we are not able to predict which waves crashing upon the shores of our life will be small and comforting or grand and damaging. Regardless, we must focus on acquiring and strengthening the tools to go with the flow, adopt, and survive with success.

This week's theme is Earth - Ivhu. Contemplate, enjoy, heal!

11/9/2020

A time to heal

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by Anthony R. Green

In a recent speech given by now President-Elect Joe Biden, the powerful verse from Ecclesiastes 3:3 was evoked to encourage the United States citizenry to come together. Given the various tragedies and injustices that have plagued the US and the world over the past 4 years, now more than ever is "a time to heal". This month, all month long, the BLACK LOVE project from Castle of our Skins is encouraging the healing process on multiple levels for ALL who are willing to engage. The multi-disciplinary events (through music) provide a foundation to intimate and reflect on various types of love: eros, phileo, agape, and everything in between. Through such reflection, healing can begin in a significant way. In addition, Castle of our Skins is supporting a transformational healing journey called KURAPA - elements of healing. Designed by Simba Mafundikwa and Amina Maya, Karupa is inspired by African traditions, yet adapts to the growing need for collective grieving in the United States.

image from kurapa.webflo.io

The first week, Ether (Ruzha), focuses on thoughts and intentions. The two main questions in the prompt guide the participant to deeply consider what runs through our minds and what we do with these ideas. Our ideations are the foundations our actions. We do not act before we think. In that sense, true healing begins with assuring that our primary center - our thoughts and intentions - is functioning, as pure as possible, and healthy. What aspects in your life are you intentionally seeking to heal? What do you want to be intentional about in your healing journey?

This week begins the second process of Kurapa : Water (Mvura). I am looking forward engaging in the second step, and I encourage you all to delve deeply into this process!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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