Marilyn K. Clark Silva
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Internationally recognized percussionist Marilyn K. Clark Silva is a Marimba One Educational Artist and has a classic portfolio career as an Arizona Teaching Artist through the Phoenix Center for the Arts and an active freelance percussionist currently located in the Phoenix metroplex. She is a founding member of Tandem Duo, a chamber group that writes, commissions, and performs new works throughout the United States. She has a performed with Island Steel, Salt River Brass Band, Vocal Essence, Phoenix First Assembly, Scottsdale Arts Orchestra, Folsom Symphony, Panic Steel Band, Crossing 32nd Street, Pan Devils Steel Band, J.T.’s Mexican Marimba Band, as well as many other diverse ensembles.
Dr. Clark Silva is a faculty member and Operations Manager for the Mt. Blanca Summer Music Conservatory, and teaches privately throughout the Phoenix valley. Dr. Clark Silva was a panelist and presenter for the 2015 College Music Society National
Convention and is the founder/developer of the Start-Up Steel pedagogical method. She was a featured artist with Sugar and Carbs for the Interference Concert Series in Flagstaff, AZ, writes literature reviews for Percussive Notes, and premiered a new chamber work at the 2016 American Harp Society, Inc. National Conference.
In 2016 Tandem Duo presented a national spring tour, were panelists and presenters at Phoenix Comicon, released their first album, Bars and Bows, performed a Colorado Summer tour, and presented the international Kondo Festival. In 2017 Tandem Duo wrote and performed the score for Tempe Center for the Arts’ production of the play Some Velvet Morning by Neil LaBute. They turned the score into a three movement suite which they recorded on their sophomore album, Velvet Scraps, which was released during their second annual Colorado Summer tour. In September they began a collaboration with The Bridge Initiative and partnered with them to present The Bechdel Test Fest.
Dr. Clark Silva is a pioneer in the technique of bowing the marimba and an in-demand speaker on the topic of hand drums. She has been interviewed on MPR, Panama 
National Radio, and PBS. Outside of music Dr. Clark Silva advocates for animal rights and has started a Benefit Concert Series in Tempe, AZ to fund transporting animals from high kill shelters to foster homes around the country. She has also acted as a grant writer, shelter assessor, and volunteer for animal rescue organizations.
Dr. Clark Silva received her bachelor’s in percussion performance from California State University, Sacramento, her master’s in percussion performance from Arizona State University, and her D.M.A. in percussion performance from the University of Minnesota.
