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Multifaceted musician Melissa Tong is quickly gaining a reputation for her finesse and versatility, performing everywhere from Boston Symphony Hall to one of the last remaining juke joints in Mississippi.  Recent performances have taken Ms. Tong throughout the U.S. and Canada with Five for Fighting, and onstage with The Eagles. Melissa served as Assistant Music Director for the First National Tour of The Tony award winning Broadway production Hadestown, for which she played violin, piano, and accordion, and was the first woman to conduct the production. She has been on the airwaves with pop singers Sara Bareilles and Rachel Platten, has performed at the Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall, at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, as well as for numerous national television shows. Melissa can currently be found in the orchestra pit of Some Like It Hot on Broadway.

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Performance Credits: Some Like It Hot on Broadway, Ain't Too Proud on Broadway,  Sara Bareilles, The Eagles, Five for Fighting, Father John Misty, Bonobo, Young the Giant, Rihanna, Rachel Platten, The Lone Bellow, Lucius, Elizabeth and the Catapult, Vienna Teng, Sam Fender, Ari Hest, The Paper Raincoat, Alex Wong, Riley Etheridge, Jr., The Album Leaf, Wakey!Wakey!, San Fermin, The Dig, Clay Aiken, Greg Holden, Alex Berger, Mark O'Connor, Newspeak, Pork Chop Willie, NOVUS Ensemble, Savion Glover

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Recording Credits: Sara Bareilles, Five for Fighting, Father John Misty, The Spring Standards, Elizabeth and the Catapult, Delta Rae, Alex Wong, Alex Berger, Martin Rivas, The Dig, Ari Hest, Robbie Gil, Wakey!Wakey!, The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, Pork Chop Willie, Ain't Too Proud Original Broadway Cast Album

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National TV Credits: The Tonight Show w/ Jay Leno, The Late Show w/David Letterman, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Tonight Show w/Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show w/Stephen Colbert, The 2019 Tony Awards, NBC's Macy's Day Parade, Live! w/Kelly and Michael, MTV Unplugged, PBS NewsHour, The Late Late Show w/Craig Ferguson

 

Education: B.M. in Violin Performance w/a minor in Communications and the Entertainment Industry, University of Southern California

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Teacher Trainings: O'Connor and Suzuki Methods, The American Music System, 200 hour Yoga Alliance, Anatomy, AcroYoga

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Melissa has a strong belief in fostering a love of music and community in her educational philosophy and recently founded "StringJams!," a series of jam sessions in NYC for students and beginning improvisers, and "String It On!," a series of workshops in NYC designed to broaden the musical horizons of young string players. She hopes to see you at an upcoming event geared toward budding musicians!

 

When not rehearsing, performing, recording, or teaching, Melissa can often be found fiddling away at a bluegrass session or upside down at an AcroYoga jam.  She resides in Brooklyn, where she happily feeds her addictions to coffee, yoga, and Acro.

 

Follow me on twitter and instagram: @crankymelimet