Melissa is a fiddler who is known for playing and teaching many different styles of music. Classically trained, she received a degree in Music Education at the University of Maine and has experience teaching string programs and general music at various grade levels in the Maine public schools. Melissa is a member of the Portland-based bluegrass bands "Jerks of Grass" and “Cumberland Crossing.” She also performs often with the old-time group “Sugar Hill Stringband” and recently recorded an album with “Fiddlers Three.” Melissa is co-director of the New England Fiddle Ensemble, a non-profit organization that supports community by bringing together a large group of acoustic musicians of all ages to learn and perform different styles of music. She runs a successful music camp each September with Ellen Carlson, called Fiddleheads Acoustic Jam Camp. Melissa was greatly involved in the development of 317 Main Community Music Center in Yarmouth, Maine, where she taught fiddle and acoustic ensembles for twelve years. Melissa also offers a welcoming bluegrass jam in her community, teaches at her home studio in Scarborough, Maine, and enjoys spending time with her two young sons, Daniel and Aidan.