Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Big Books & Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller
Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

'Symphony of Secrets' is an ode to music stolen and composers erased

A side-by-side of a book cover and author.
Brendan Slocumb is back with his second novel. Like his debut, “The Violin Conspiracy,” his new book, “Symphony of Secrets,” brings readers along on a musical mystery that asks hard questions about cultural appropriation.
Photo by David Bickley | Cover courtesy of Penguin Random House

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

In his new novel, “Symphony of Secrets,” Brendan Slocumb once again tucks a mystery inside a musical thriller. But underscoring the plot are some big questions about our culture. Whose music gets heard and honored? Who gets to claim the ownership and rewards of a song? And who gets to tell the story of how that music came to be?

Slocumb’s protagonist is Bern Hendricks, a musicologist thrilled to be given the chance to authenticate a just discovered opera, attributed to his musical hero, Frederick Delaney. But as he investigates the long missing masterpiece, Hendricks uncovers the true source of Delaney’s genius — a neurodivergent Black woman named Josephine Reed, who was never credited for her work. Will he be able to right history’s wrongs? Or will the powerful musical establishment erase Reed’s genius a second time?

Slocumb’s debut novel, “The Violin Conspiracy,” was a book club favorite. This week, Slocumb returned to Big Books and Bold Ideas to talk with MPR News host Kerri Miller about the messy ways music is written and how to decipher the line between borrowed and stolen.

Guest:

Use the audio player above to listen to the conversation.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or RSS.

Subscribe to the Thread newsletter for the latest book and author news and must-read recommendations.