Symphony of Secrets

Brendan Slocumb's novel follows a Black musicologist in present-day New York who researches a newly attributed composition, interweaving his story with a 1920s composer’s life inspired by Gershwin.

The dual timelines examine ambition, greed, and the erasure and recovery of diverse contributions to classical music.

Through rich characterization and musical detail, the book interrogates who is remembered in the musical canon and why.

Themes include representation, power dynamics in institutions, and the personal costs of artistic ambition.

Readers who are musicians or interested in music history often find the novel especially resonant.