In Symphony of Secrets, violinist and writer Brendan Slocumb and CityMusic Cleveland Chamber Orchestra will unearth some hidden gems by staple composers such as Beethoven and Mendelssohn, as well as less familiar repertoire by Florence Price, and Latin American masters Astor Piazzolla and Arturo Marquez. The concert will feature CityMusic's flutists Laura Gilbert and Kimberly Zaleski.

As an author, Slocumb delves into the psychology of his musician characters in his novels The Violin Conspiracy and Symphony of Secrets, both best-selling, high-intensity thrillers.

Speaking of classical music, Slocumb says, “[it] changed my life, it saved my life, totally saved my life. I would be in prison or dead right now. A lot of my friends that I grew up with were doing bad things. When they were out running around, I was practicing; when they were breaking into someone's house, I was on a trip. You know, I got to travel because of my violin. It took me to college. I've met some incredible people. I've gotten to do things that people will never -- they can just dream about. And I've gotten to share those things with other people who never would have been able to experience those things were it not for music. So I know that the violin saved my life.”

This will be Slocumb's first time conducting CityMusic. Flutists Zaleski and Gilbert will be highlighted in a performance of Domenico Cimarosa’s Concerto for Two Flutes in G Major.

These concerts are free and open to the public, and will take place at the following venues:

Thursday, February 8 at 7:30p East Mount Zion Baptist Church in Fairfax, 9990 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106

Friday, February 9 at 8:30p La Sagrada Familia Church in Detroit Shorerway, 7719 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102

Saturday, February 10 at 7:30p Our Lady of Angels in Kamm’s Corner, 3644 Rocky River Dr, Cleveland, OH 44111

Sunday, February 11 at 4:30p St. Sebastian Parish in Akron, 476 Mull Ave, Akron, OH 44320

Following Thursday's performance at East Mount Zion Baptist Church, there will be a free reception featuring beverages, food, and the chance to chat with Slocumb

Featured Musicians

Brendan Slocumb, Conductor

Kimberly Zaleski, Flute

Laura Gilbert, Flute

Brendan Nicholaus Slocumb was born in Yuba City, California, and was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a degree in music education, with concentrations in Violin and Viola.
For the past twenty-three years, he has been a public and private school music educator from kindergarten through twelfth grade, teaching general music, orchestra, and guitar ensembles. His students were often chosen for district and regional orchestras. In 2005, Brendan was named Teacher of the Year for Robert E. Lee High School; has been named the Who’s Who of American teachers, and is a Nobel Teacher of Distinction. Brendan also serves as an educational consultant for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Music has always played a major part in Brendan’s life. He believes that it’s a life-saving force and a gift we should always offer our children. When he was nine, he started playing violin through a public school music program. It actually saved his life. Friends he grew up with are today sitting in jail; when they were out running the streets, he was in rehearsals. When they were breaking into people’s houses, he was practicing Dvorak and Mozart. His violin opened the door to opportunity, and he ran through it.
As a musician, Brendan has performed on violin with the Washington Metropolitan Symphony, the McLean Symphony, the Prince George's Philharmonic, and the Alexandria Symphony. He currently serves as the concertmaster for the NOVA-Annandale Symphony Orchestra. He is the founder of the nonprofit organization, Hands Across the Sea, based in the Philippines. After touring the Philippines with the Northern Virginia Chamber Ensemble and witnessing firsthand the conditions that many of the young music students and their families endure, Brendan founded the Hands
Across the Sea to offer support to the Berea School of the Arts in Manila, by providing instruments, lessons, and monetary support. The organization also supplements school supplies and dental and medical assistance.
In his spare time, Brendan enjoys writing, exercising, collecting comic books and action figures, and performing with his rock band, Geppetto's Wüd.
A native of Garrison, New York, flutist Kimberly Zaleski has dedicated her career to performing, composing, and teaching music. An active promoter of chamber music, she is the Touring Flutist with “David Arkenstone and Friends,” a five-piece band that performs music throughout the United States composed by five-time Grammy-nominated composer, David Arkenstone. She is a member of the North Coast Winds, Cleveland's Premier Woodwind Quintet and is also the Co-Founder of the flute, cello, and percussion trio, IN2ATIVE, known for their engaging performances of original compositions. Kimberly is a Performing and Teaching Artist on the Roster of the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning Agency.
Ms. Zaleski is the Principal Flutist of the Firelands Symphony Orchestra and Second Flutist with the CityMusic Cleveland Chamber Orchestra and has performed with The Cleveland Orchestra, Blossom Festival Band, The Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Akron Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Erie Philharmonic, New World Symphony, and Canton Symphony. She is a substitute musician for The Pittsburgh Opera, Columbus Symphony, and West Virginia Symphony. She is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music where she received her Master’s Degree as a student of Joshua Smith, Principal Flutist of the Cleveland Orchestra.
In addition to her performance career, she holds the title of Adjunct Professor of Flute at The College of Wooster, and Assistant Lecturer of Flute at The University of Akron, and has given performances and masterclasses at Arizona State University and Penn State University.
Laura Gilbert, flutist, has appeared around the world as a chamber musician, soloist, recitalist, and guest lecturer. In 2012, with principal violist Jonathan Bagg, she founded Electric Earth Concerts, a year-round music festival based in Peterborough, New Hampshire. During her tenure as co-artistic director of Monadnock Music (2006-2011), she created award-winning programming, receiving major foundation support from the NEA, Argosy, Getty, Goelet, and many other organizations.
Laura has been the principal flutist with Cleveland CityMusic for the past four seasons. In addition to founding and performing with Auréole, a flute, viola, and harp trio, Ms. Gilbert has appeared with Musicians from Marlboro, Alexander Schneider’s Brandenburg Ensemble, the Borromeo, Brentano, Saint Lawrence, and Ciompi String Quartets, Chamber Music at the 92nd Street “Y”, Saint Luke’s Ensemble, The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, The New York Philharmonic, and Speculum Musicae. Ms. Gilbert’s extensive discography includes a Grammy award for Dawn Upshaw’s “Girl with the Orange Lips”, and two solo recordings on Koch International: The Flute Music of Serge Prokofiev, and the Flute Music of Toru Takemitsu. She has served on the faculties of Peabody Conservatory, Mannes College of Music, Harid Conservatory, Purchase College, The Aaron Copland School at Queens College, Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, and Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn.
Ms. Gilbert studied with Samuel Baron, Julius Baker, and Thomas Nyfenger, attended Sarah Lawrence College, and received Bachelor's and Master of Music degrees from New England Conservatory and Juilliard, and her Doctorate from SUNY Stony Brook. She currently lives in New York City and is on the faculties of Mannes College of Music and Saint Ann’s School.