MM, Media Scoring & Production, University of Miami: Frost School of Music

BM, Percussion Performance, University of Connecticut

BM, Music Composition, University of Connecticut

Michael J. Melnik joined the faculty of the University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts in Fall 2026, where he teaches Introduction to Audio Production. A percussionist, composer, audio engineer, and arts administrator, he holds dual magna cum laude Bachelor of Music degrees in Percussion Performance and Music Composition from the University of Connecticut where he studied with Robert McEwan and Grammy award-winning composer Kenneth Fuchs respectively. He also holds a Master of Music in Media Scoring and Production from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami where he studied with Emmy award-winning composer Carlos Rafael Rivera.

Melnik is Principal Percussionist of The Hartt School’s Capitol Symphonic Winds and serves as Assistant Timpanist of the Connecticut Symphony Orchestra. As a composer, he scored the short film No Strings Attached by Heather Alexis, and his work in audio has been recognized with a Best Sound Design award at the 2023 Canes Film Festival at the University of Miami. He has contributed to recording projects spanning a wide range of musical genres, with experience in music production, recording, mixing, and post-production.

His creative and scholarly interests focus on immersive audio formats and consumer audio delivery systems. In addition to his teaching and artistic work, Melnik serves as Vice President of the Connecticut Symphony Orchestra and works in academic administration within UConn’s Department of Communication.