On November 10, 2011 Author Gerald Elias will read from his latest book, Death and the Maiden, part of his Daniel Jacobus mystery series. 7:00 p.m. at the Canyon Community Center in Springdale, Utah.
Gerald Elias, violinist, teacher, conductor, and composer, has been Associate Concertmaster of the Utah Symphony since 1988, Boston Symphony violinist, first violinist of the Abramyan String Quartet, Adjunct Professor of Music the University of Utah, and Music Director of the Vivaldi Candlelight Concert series.
A native New Yorker, Gerald Elias began violin lessons at the age of eight with William Liva, and after nine months was awarded a full scholarship to the Interlochen Summer Music Camp. From 1966-70 Elias studied with the world-renowned pedagogue, Ivan Galamian. During his college years at Oberlin College and Yale University, where his violin teacher was famed violinist Joseph Silverstein, Elias was also a Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, and was coached by the Guarneri String Quartet at the Norfolk Summer Music Festival. He later also audited the famed Tanglewood Fellowship Conducting program. Completing his studies at Yale in 1975, receiving Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees with Honors, Elias joined the Boston Symphony at the age of twenty-two as a member of the violin section and a teacher at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. In 1986-87, Elias spent a sabbatical year as a performer, conductor, and guest professor at conservatories and universities in Japan, New Zealand, and Australia before becoming Associate Concertmaster of the Utah Symphony in 1988. As a private teacher and faculty member of the University of Utah since 1989, Elias has seen many of his students go on to programs at major conservatories and careers as professional musicians.
In the past decade his career has expanded from performing and teaching to now include conducting, composition, and most recently, writing. His novels, Devil’s Trill, Danse Macabre and now Death and the Maiden, published by St. Martin’s Press, are excursions into the dark side of the classical music world. In 2009 Barnes and Noble, selected Devil’s Trill for their Discover Great New Writers fall catalog, in which was written: “Rich in music detail and featuring a fabulously roguish cast, Devil’s Trill will delight music lovers and mystery fans alike. Danse Macabre, featuring the same roguish cast, was released in September, 2010.” Danse Macabre was selected by Library Journal as one of their top five mysteries of 2010.
As always, as part of the reading from his latest book Gerald Elias will play a little violin music for his audience.