The Lausanne Marimba Ensemble was created in 2009 by the Tchiki duo for the first visit of Keiko Abe in Lausanne.

This ensemble, the only one of its kind in Europe, was set up to continue the work begun by the pioneer of the marimba, the Japanese Keiko Abe. The LME is keen to promote the distinctive sounds of the marimba in an orchestral, even choral, formation that stands on its own.

In order to develop this specific formation, the LME has set itself the task of creating a repertoire of original compositions and arrangements for this group, as to date only a few composers have considered the possibilities of this formation of six marimbas and two percussion instruments. As a result, several commissions have been placed with Swiss and European composers, and the Tchiki duo is exploring the possibilities of new arrangements of works from the great classical music repertoire, in order to offer concerts with a varied musical journey accessible to all.

The Lausanne Marimba Ensemble has performed at the opening concerts of the Keiko Abe Lausanne International Marimba Academy (KALIMA) in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017, the Festival Musique et Patrimoine du Mont Blanc in 2018 and 2022, the BPM Festival in Grône in 2018, the Festival du Bois qui Chante in Château-d’Oex in 2019, La Schubertiade in Fribourg in 2021, a creation concert in Lausanne in 2022, the opening concert of the Percussion Festival International Lausanne at the Salle Paderewski in Lausanne in 2023, the Grandson Classics concert season and Vienna Yamaha Concert Hall in 2024.