Stringfest with Castle of our Skins and Youth Musicians

Members of Boston’s Castle of Our Skins artist collective — dedicated to advancing Black artistry through music and related performance — team with youth ensembles from City Strings United, Boston Citywide String Orchestra, and Boston String Academy in the latest in our Stringfest series. Stringfest performances pair professional string players with young musicians to present programs that highlight the value of collaboration for all of the artists involved. This installment features the premiere of a Castle of Our Skins commission for professional and student string players by composer Jessica Mays, “Anthem for Go,” that reflects on themes of unity and resilience.

In this collaborative virtual showcase, each participating youth organization will share performances in response to the theme highlighting works by composers of color from around the globe. Castle of our Skins musicians will perform string quartets by African American composer Valerie Coleman, South African composer Monthati Masebe, and Jamaican-British Composer Eleanor Alberga that musically evoke both freedom and resilience. For the finale, youth musicians, educators, and professionals from Castle of our Skins will join together to give the world premiere performance of Jessica Mays’ “Anthem for Go.”