African American musicians comprise just 1.8% of professional orchestras, while Latinos comprise 2.5%, according to a 2016 report by the American League of Orchestras. This underrepresentation is also evident in many high school performing ensembles, particularly within string orchestras. The present study examines orchestra directors’ perceptions of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) as a strategy for recruiting and retaining Black and Latino students in string orchestra programs. The research questions guiding this investigation were as follows: (1) What are string orchestra directors’ perceptions regarding the inclusion of CRT in the curriculum? (2) How do the teaching experiences of orchestra directors influence their decisions about incorporating CRT into their curricula? (3) What recruitment and retention strategies do orchestra directors employ to engage Black and Latino students? This mixed-methods study utilized an explanatory sequential design that collected quantitative and then qualitative data. A survey was distributed to secondary string orchestra directors through the American String Teachers Association that incorporated Likert-scale items to assess directors’ attitudes and beliefs about CRT and four open-ended questions. Follow-up interviews were conducted with participants to further explore these perceptions. The data were analyzed separately, with the qualitative and quantitative findings integrated to address the research questions. Quantitative results revealed orchestra directors held overall positive perceptions of Culturally Responsive Teaching, while qualitative data revealed that despite positive perceptions, limited knowledge and lack of professional development opportunities hindered its full implementation in their classrooms. The results of this study contribute valuable insights into effective recruitment and retention strategies aimed at addressing the underrepresentation of Black and Latino students in string orchestra programs. INDEX WORDS: culturally responsive teaching, recruitment, retention