Melissa is in much demand as a traverso player in Australia, both as an orchestral player and as a soloist. She is also passionate about teaching period flutes, recorder and baroque style on modern instruments and teaches baroque flute at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Melissa has performed and recorded since 2004 with the Orchestra of the Antipodes as principal flute/recorder/piccolo player and is proud to say that she has played in 12 operas with Pinchgut Opera and Orchestra of the Antipodes. Melissa is featured as flute soloist with Pinchgut Opera and Orchestra of the Antipodes in the Gretry flute concerto with the opera L'amant Jaloux.

Melissa is also principal flute of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and the Australian Haydn Ensemble. She has performed with several other Australian ensembles on traverso including Australian Chamber Orchestra, Latitude 37, The Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra, The Marais Project and Ironwood.

Melissa appears on several recordings including Brandenburg Celebrates with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, performing as soloist in the Telemann Flute and Violin Concerto. With the Australian Haydn Ensemble she appears on recordings the Haydn Album and Beethoven Piano concertos in chamber arrangements with Neal Peres da Costa and AHE.

Melissa grew up in Auckland, New Zealand and came to Sydney in 1994 to study undergraduate flute and recorder at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, then completed her post graduate studies and Tweede Fase at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam in flute, recorder and traverso in 1999. More recently, she undertook an intensive course of music lessons for professional development.

Melissa has decided to devote most of her musical career to playing historical flutes and enjoys working with some inspiring directors in her favourite area of music, early music.

Melissa has played in 12 Pinchgut productions so far.

Melissa appears courtesy of Australian Brandenburg Orchestra.