Curtis Wilson escaped his father’s troubled world and grasped his lifelong dream of becoming a cellist. Then, he almost lost it all. The protagonist of writer, educator and classical musician Brendan Slocumb’s new book “The Dark Maestro” reflects the author’s own experience as a performer.
In “The Dark Maestro,” Curtis, a young, Black cellist, risks everything to realize new artistic aspirations, even when stuck in witness protection. Although the story is fictional, Slocumb wanted to give readers a realistic view of what it’s like to be in the world of classical music and the witness protection program.
“I did a ton of research on this,” Slocumb said. “People literally drop everything. Their life is done the moment that they get the type of message that Curtis received. Everything is taken away from you.”
One new outlet for expression Curtis discovers is comics, leading to cross-genre experimentation throughout the novel. And Slocumb isn’t shy about his personal affinity for comic books.
“I’m sitting in my office right now, surrounded by 15,000 comic books and a ton of action figures,” Slocumb said while speaking to Callie Crossley, host of GBH News “Under The Radar.” “I’ve been a collector since I was 15.”
Slocumb’s passion for the art form shines through in “The Dark Maestro,” where the main character’s comic panels — drawn to cope with his inability to perform live music — are central to self-discovery. But comic strips aren’t the only element to enhance the reading experience.
“I’m happy I included a playlist with this particular book,” Slocumb said. “Some people have told me that they will see the name of the piece and read the description of Curtis playing, and then go to YouTube and watch the video of someone playing [that same song], and it makes perfect sense. It actually brings them into the story, because they understand the piece of music that is being described.”
In writing a novel about a musician forced to stop performing, Slocumb confronts his own anxieties after more than 20 years as a classical artist and music educator. This emotion is compounded by the story’s thrills, the love of a surrogate mother and the joy of discovering new talents, despite familial struggles.
“Everyone has a bit of dysfunction in their family,” Slocumb said. “It’s with everyone, so I figure keep it real and keep it authentic, because I wouldn’t be telling the truth if everything was just peaches and cream all the time.”
“The Dark Maestro” is the July pick for “Bookmarked: The Under The Radar Book Club.” Listen to the accompanying playlist here!
Guest
Brendan Slocumb, author of three books, including “The Dark Maestro”
