A native of Texas, Mel Mobley currently resides in Monroe, Louisiana. As composer, conductor, performer, and advocate of new music, he has been part of numerous premieres and festivals around the country. He is a founder and coordinator of the New Music on the Bayou Festival that connects composers from around the world with the communities of north Louisiana. While frequently performing with the Monroe, Shreveport, and South Arkansas Symphonies, Mel is also heavily involved in contemporary chamber music including work with the Implosion Percussion Group, the NMB Percussion Group, and M2 – all groups that he served as a founding member. He has also performed with the 2X2 Percussion Quartet with performances at the Sugarmill Festival and at the National Percussion Pedagogy Conference. As a proponent of live performance, his collaborative work with dancer/choreographer Tina Mullone seeks to break down the barrier between dancer and musician as well as between live and recorded performance. His current composition work focuses on the blending of speech and instrumental sound. Dr. Mobley teaches at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and at several camps throughout Haiti in the summers. A member of ASCAP, NACUSA, the Southeastern Composers League, and the Percussive Arts Society, his music can be found on the Ansonica, Navona, and Revello labels. His most recent recording for orchestra, Labored Breathing, was released in June of 2021 on Polarities Vol. 2 through Navona Records. More information can be found at melmobley.com.