Percussionist Marcel Jorand (b. 1937) studied at the Paris Conservatoire where he won many prizes, including first prize for his instrument. His professional work as a performer and teacher combined produced many well-informed study books for Percussion, including Fifteen Studies for Xylophone.

Following his graduation from the Paris Conservatoire, Jorand worked with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France as a soloist. In 1978, he went on to teach at the Regional Conservatory of Montpellier and direct the Ecole municipale de Juvignac. Four years before his move to the South of France, Jorand produced Fifteen Studies for Xylophone. These studies address a wide range of aspects of technique on the instrument. Marcel Jorand's Fifteen Studies for Xylophone is imperative to the technical progression of all aspiring Xylophone players.