MUSIC SCORES & ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS
Intergenerational music performing and learning of Black history.
The collection of musical scores in the HUB includes compositions by social justice artist and African American composer, Anthony R. Green, and arrangements of African-inspired melodies. Anthony R. Green's works, in conjunction with a team of Castle of our Skins' educators, features age-appropriate, companion curriculum with scaffolded lesson plans are rooted in Afrocentric pedagogical practices that emphasize experiential learning, group participation, aural skills, and individual creativity. With their buildable lesson units and relevance to other subjects, they provide a deeper context (and in some school systems, the only context) for music, Black history, social justice, and culture to be appreciated.
Learn more about our
scores + curriculums below!
Catto’s Courage for string quartet & intermediate string ensemble
Catto’s Courage depicts the strength of Octavius Catto, a dedicated civil rights leader and desegregationist in post-Civil War Philadelphia. Catto was murdered on Election Day in 1871, one year after African Americans were constitutionally granted the right to vote with the ratification of the 15th Amendment. Through music and companion curriculum guides, students will intimately engage with his life and legacy.
Listen to a live performance with Castle of our Skins and Boston's Project STEP, a renowned string training education program that provides talented young musicians that identify with historically underrepresented groups in classical music with comprehensive music instruction.
Performed live, March 12, 2023 at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, MA.
Chorale for Phillis, Harriet and Mum Bett for string quartet & beginner string ensemble
Chorale for Phillis, Harriet and Mum Bett introduces three legendary Black historic figures to young learners: poet Phillis Wheatley, abolitionist and author Harriet A. Jacobs, and the formerly enslaved Mum Bett who became the first African American woman to successfully file a lawsuit for her freedom in Massachusetts. As all of their lives intersected with the institution of slavery, students will learn of history, racialized enslavement, strength, and resilience.
Listen to a live performance with Castle of our Skins and Boston's Project STEP, a renowned string training education program that provides talented young musicians that identify with historically underrepresented groups in classical music with comprehensive music instruction.
Performed live, March 12, 2023 at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, MA.
A Little History for solo narrating Violin, Viola, or Cello
A Little History tells the simplified stories of nine legendary figures in Black History through original music, poetry and interaction. This edition, designed for students in grades 2-6, includes a variety of engagement materials including a performance score, curriculum guide with buildable units and worksheets, beautiful portrait cards of all nine figures, and a PowerPoint presentation. The figures represented include poet Phillis Wheatley Peters; inventors/entrepreneurs Garrett Morgan and Madam C. J. Walker; agriculturist George Washington Carver; composers Margaret Bonds and Ed Bland; and activists/political figures Angela Davis, Bayard Rustin, and Barack Obama.
Listen to a short excerpt of Castle of our Skins' Artistic Director and Co-Founder, Ashleigh Gordon, perform A Little History for solo viola. This specific excerpt tells the story of Phillis Wheatley Peters, the first historical figure featured in the series.
Performed for students of the British International School of Boston (Boston, MA) in February 2025.
Compadre Pedro Juan for String Quartet & Beginner String Ensemble
Originally composed by Luis Alberti, a celebrated Dominican musician known for his contributions to merengue and folk music, this piece invites students to experience the joyful energy of Compadre Pedro Juan, a lively tune encouraging dance and connection. The guide features engaging, buildable lesson units designed to make learning merengue accessible and fun for students of all skill levels.
Choucoune for String Quartet & Beginner String Ensemble
This newly arranged version by composer Anthony R. Green beautifully captures the essence of Oswald Durand's original Haitian poem about unrequited love. Designed for string quartet and beginner ensembles, this arrangement brings a slower, heartfelt rendition of the beloved tune. Through the included curriculum guide, students will discover the story, environment, and musical techniques that define this iconic piece.
A Little History 2.0 for solo narrating Marimba, Vibraphone, or Gyil
The second edition of A Little History tells the simplified stories of nine historical moments in Black History through original music, poetry and interaction. This new edition, designed for students in grades 2-6, includes a variety of engagement materials including a performance score, curriculum guide with buildable units and worksheets, portrait cards of all nine moments, and a PowerPoint presentation. The moments represented include Benin City, Africans in the America (Mansa Abubakari II), Igo Landing, Seneca Village, the First Black Deliverywoman (Mary Fields), Airship before Airplane (Charles F. Page), When Black People Tell our Stories (Tulsa Race Massacre) A Math Genius (Katherine Johnson), and Celebrating Juneteenth.
Listen to a short excerpt of Castle of our Skins' Teaching Artist, Steph Davis, perform A Little History 2.0 for solo marimba. This specific excerpt tells the story of Africans in the Americas, one of the historical moments featured in the series.
Performed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA on Juneteenth (June 2025).
The Call to the Feast - Score Title
The Call to the Feast - Score Title
The Call to the Feast for Mixed Chamber Ensemble
"The Call to the Feast," arranged by Danielle Williams, is a movement excerpted from three African Dances by Amanda Aldridge (writing under the pseudonym Montague ring). Originally written as a piano suite for amateur musicians, this arrangement was created for chamber ensemble, consisting of flute, oboe, violin, viola, cello, and piano. The work blends West African-inspired melodies with folk harmonies and rhythms. Its aim is to bring Aldridge's rarely performed music to new generations of young performers, while celebrating her legacy as a pioneering Black British composer who bridged classical traditions and African musical heritage.