From djembe to Nintendo Gameboy to contrabass flute to drum set, A/B Duo’s no-limits instrumentation and imaginative concert programming has delighted audiences all over the United States since 2013. Made up of flutist Meerenai Shim and percussionist Christopher G. Jones, A/B Duo has made a mark for its “fresh, vibrant new music” and “commitment to widening the repertoire.” (Fanfare Magazine)

A/B Duo appears in concert throughout the United States, with performances at The Green Mill in Chicago, Spectrum in New York City, The Center for New Music in San Francisco, and the Goat Farm Arts Center in Atlanta, in addition to the Eastman School of Music and Oberlin Conservatory. A group with notoriety beyond the classical and new music world, A/B also performed at the video game and indie music festival Rockage 4.0.

The acclaimed duo is proud to have commissioned new work from American composition’s best established talent and rising stars, including Drew Baker, Zack Browning, Andrea La Rose, Ned McGowan, Brendon Randall-Myers, Ivan Trevino, and Ken Ueno. Many of these commissions can be heard on their full-length album, Variety Show on the Aerocade Music label, and on their debut 2013 EP, Things We Dream About. Their albums and performances have enjoyed warm reviews from outlets across the United States, including Cleveland Classical, Chicago Classical Review, The Flute View, and ArtsATL, among others.

Among their many diverse projects, A/B Duo created a fully functional video game in lieu of a music video to accompany their game-themed commission from Matthew Joseph Payne, Echoloquacious. Play the game and learn more by visiting their website abduo.net.

Reviews/Interviews/Mentions

The Rehearsal Studio: Review of November 14, 2017 show at SFSU.

Fanfare Magazine: "Variety Show" album review

Bandcamp Daily: Best of Bandcamp Contemporary Classical - "Variety Show" album review

ArtsATL: Review of June 2015 concerts at The Goat Farm Arts Center and Eyedrum in Atlanta, GA.

The Cylinder: A podcast produced by the Goat Farm Arts Center. Interview with Chamber Cartel's Caleb Herron.

KQED: Preview of Rockage 4.0 in San Jose, CA.

The Flute View: Review of March 13, 2014 show at Spectrum (NYC)

Chicago Classical Review: Review of December 1, 2013 show at the Green Mill (Chicago)

Civic Center Blog: Review of September 27, 2013 show at the Center for New Music (San Francisco)

Cleveland Classical: Preview of March 2014 Kent and Oberlin, Ohio concerts.

SoundNotion video podcast: Episode 134 "Chamber Music is Like Dating"

Recordings

Meerenai Shim

Milky Way or Galaxy are traditional Korean translations of the first name of flutist Meerenai Shim. Pronounced “me-ren-ay,” the unusual name befits this unique and forward thinking musician.

Meerenai is a founding member of the innovative flute and percussion duo, A/B Duo. In 2016, she joined the award-winning contemporary flute ensemble, Areon Flutes. She has performed all over the United States as a soloist and chamber musician. Recent performances include those at the Soundwave Biennial in San Francisco, the Bang on a Can Summer Festival, the Goat Farm Arts Center in Atlanta, and KNOB Fest in Wichita. She also served a two-year term as a curator at the Center for New Music in San Francisco.

In 2015 Meerenai founded Aerocade Music, a record label specializing in contemporary classical, electronic, and experimental music. Her third solo album, the all-electroacoustic Pheromone, was the first release on the label. Regarding Pheromone, Fanfare Magazine says, "Flautist Meerenai Shim has the chops and the heart to do these recently composed pieces full justice, and this inaugural release on her own Aerocade label is the proverbial proof of the pudding."

Meerenai Shim is an affiliate of, and fiscally-sponsored by, the San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the service of chamber music in California. She resides in Campbell, California with her husband Dave, and their Great Dane mix, Lady.

CHristopher G. Jones

Equally comfortable in solo, chamber, or large ensemble settings, Christopher G. Jones continues his endless pursuit of blending various aspects of modern percussion techniques into unified, captivating, and unparalleled performances. He is a founding member of the innovative flute and percussion group, A/B Duo and is a member of the Clocks In Motion percussion quartet.

In addition to his work with A/B Duo and Clocks, he has had the pleasure to collaborate and perform with many talented musicians such as Ensemble Dal Niente, Third Coast Percussion, and Chamber Cartel. His recent performances have brought him to the Skaneateles Festival, Fringe Festival of Rochester, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin, and the Heartland Marimba Festival in Utah. He has performed with the Rochester Philharmonic, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Finger Lakes Opera, International Beethoven Project Orchestra, and the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra.

Chris is currently the Visiting Professor of Percussion at the University of Central Arkansas. He holds percussion degrees from Eastman School of Music (DMA '18, MM '10) and Florida State University (BM '07). His teachers include Michael Burritt, Dr. John Parks, James Ross, Bill Cahn, Charles Ross, Rich Thompson, and John Evans.