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Castle of our Skins is pleased to announce the composer who has been selected as our Composer-in-Residence for the 2018-2019 season: Brian Raphael Nabors!  The music of Brian Raphael Nabors is emotionally enriching and tells exciting narratives with its colorful harmonic language. Mr. Nabors has been commissioned by institutions such as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and his music has been performed at many events across the US, including the Texas Music Educators Association Conference (TMEA), the Midwest Composers Symposium, and the International Double Reed Society Conference (IDRS). He has received awards from the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Alabama Music Teachers Association (AMTA), the Birmingham Music Club, and has been performed by artists such as the Zodiac Trio, the Unheard-of//Ensemble, and the Contemporary Directions Ensemble at the University of Michigan.
With an eclectic musical palate and crafty compositional technique to match, Nabors’s music draws from combinations of Jazz/R&B with the modern flair of contemporary classical music. This interesting blend of sound worlds is one that continues to craft his unique musical voice. A native of Birmingham, AL, Brian obtained the Master of Music degree in composition from the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) at the University of Cincinnati where his primary teachers have been Miguel A. Roig-Francolí, Douglas Khehans, and Ellen Ruth Harrison. Before his studies at CCM, he obtained a Bachelor of Music Theory & Composition degree from the School of the Arts at Samford University in Birmingham, AL, where he studied composition with Sarana Chou and piano with Kathryn Fouse. Brian is currently completing doctoral studies in composition at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Listen to his stunning Piano Sonata here! Congratulations, Brian!
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As Spring 2018 is fast approaching, I would like to share this article about one of our past collaborators, I Am Kréyol. This article was written by Taylor Hannon, and the original can be found here.  In Buddhist symbolism the lotus is symbolic of purity of the body, speech, and mind while rooted in the mud. Its flowers blossom on long stalks as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. The lotus flower is elegant in beauty and peaceful in nature making it such a unique embellishment this world possesses. Similar to the lotus flower, I Am Kreyol is a brand stitched with ultimate opulence and a rich personality. The use of beautifully textured dresses with patterns that mimic the beauties of mother earth stun all who dare glance, reminding all to stay humble and focus on developing inner peace.  Designer Joelle Jean-Fontaine is a master in her craft, using rich colors and loud patterns to help distinguish her work from the rest. Joelle is from Boston, and uses some of her surrounding landscapes to inspire her work. Her brand I Am Kreyol is a company that encompases all things fashion; with a ready-to-wear clothing line that provides styling services for magazines, music artists, and of course all of her loyal clientele. As a young woman, she aspired to be an architect. While in her second year of college, she soon became pregnant and decided to place her passions aside to take care of her growing family. She was a stay at home mom for three years, during which she started to experiment through a variety of creative outlets to maintain her sense of self. As a hobby, she began taking clothing apart and putting them back together, teaching herself how to sew and design items that she says she had only previously seen within her inner subconscious. She has placed years of hard work into her craft, and with help from her mother and family she has taken her dreams to the next level. Her company is a hit, her designs are superb, and she has been cordially invited to debut her newest collection in Oxford Fashion Studios London Fashion Week.  I Am Kréyol’s Spring 2018 line, The Lotus Collection, is a well curated ensemble of looks that incorporates over-exaggerated structural design elements such as bouffant sleeves and bustled tails with full length sheer skirts. The collection philosophy represents the lotus flower and its audacity to grow in unfavorable environments, how its beauty conquers all obstacles seen throughout. It illustrates a woman’s tenacity to be strong, resilient, and powerful in the midst of adversity.
Writer: Taylor Hannon (Oxford Fashion Studio Writer) Website: https://thegoldentypewriter.com/ Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/tayymarie1609/ https://www.facebook.com/taylor.hannon2 http://tayymarie95.tumblr.com/ https://twitter.com/tayymarie95?lang=en Check out our next post next week, March 15th! |
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Black concert series and educational programs in Boston and beyond