Melissa Zerofsky is a graduate student in nutritional biology at UCD. She grew up in Madison, WI, where she studied bass with Richard Davis, and was a member of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) and the Wisconsin Honors Orchestra. Melissa received her ScB in Biology from Brown University in 2003. While at Brown, Melissa played in the Brown University Orchestra, in the pit for various musical theater productions, and with the Brown New Music ensemble.

Melissa has also played with the University of Wisconsin Symphony, served as the bass sectionals coach at WYSO, and worked as a camp counselor at the UW Summer Music Clinic.