L+M Duo is a marimba and piano duo featuring Laurel Black and Marianne Parker. Their mission is to commission, perform, and interpret contemporary classical music, and re-imagine yesterday's most compelling works.

 

The duo's inaugural season featured an appearance at the New Music Gathering at Bowling Green State University, a world premiere performance at Constellation Chicago's Frequency Series, as well as a university tour in East Tennessee. The duo was also featured in Fourth Presbyterian Church's Noonday Concert Series in downtown Chicago.

 

The duo has premiered several new works, including an exclusive arrangement of Jacob TV's The Body of your Dreams; Twenty-five Million Candles  by Steven Snowden, which was written to celebrate the centennial of the Wrigley Building; and new works by Rusty Banks, Aaron Jay Myers, and Jason Haney.

 

L+M Duo was the Ensemble-in-Residence at University of Illinois-Chicago for the 2017-18 season. Highlights of their current season include a world premiere performance at James Madison University's Contemporary Music Festival and performances at Virginia Tech University and University of Illinois-Chicago.

 

Marianne and Laurel each maintain active new music careers in Chicago and Knoxville, TN, respectively. Laurel endorses instruments by Majestic and sticks/mallets by Innovative Percussion.