ABOUT
" . . . undoubtedly a rising star in musical composition."
-Camille Tucker, Pneuma Entertainment
"The creative touch she adds to each song is nothing short of amazing."
-Sam Knaak, Ear Witness Studios
Melissa Miles is a composer based in Seattle, Washington. Her works span every genre and have been performed across the United States as well as in Asia. She currently has concert works being performed by Seattle Pacific University’s Concert Choir, The Biola Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, and the Public Health Artists’ Circle Choir at the University of the Philippines, Manila. Melissa is the recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Max Dreyfus Scholarship (2015/16). She was a finalist for the SCI/ASCAP Commission Competition with her piece for full orchestra, "Reflections of Autumn" (2014) and won the PRISM Contest with this piece (2012). Melissa also won Biola’s Professional Ensemble Recording Competition with her string quartet, “Al Qahira” (2011). She placed 2nd in Biola University’s Composition Contest with “Al Qahira” (2012) and 3rd with “Reflections of Autumn,” (2013).
Melissa has also composed music for several short films. Her music was nominated for Best Original Score at the Biola Film Festival (2014) and the Southeastern 180 Film Festival (2013). Her musical theatre works include Broken City (2016), The Lost Dog (2015), The Woodcutter's Tale (2015), For Such A Time As This (in progress), Murder In The Cathedral (commissioned and premiered by the Guild of English Scholars at Biola University in 2011) and Love Is Blind (premiered at the Contemporary Music Center, Vineyard Haven, MA in 2007).
Melissa is also a very active musician. She has performed and recorded with singer/songwriter, Peter Verdell, singer Laura Scott, and the band Henry at War. She was a featured soloist with the Seattle Pacific University Jazz Ensemble and also played in the Biola Symphony Orchestra and the Thalia Symphony.
Melissa received her M.F.A. in Musical Theatre Writing from New York University in 2016. She holds her B.M. in Composition from the Biola University Conservatory of Music and her B.A. in Music Education from Seattle Pacific University. In the summer of 2014, she interned with the composer and orchestrator, J.A.C. Redford.