Melanie Gunsay
Melanie Gunsay is an American composer, conductor, music educator, and new music advocate residing in Utah. Gunsay's composition teachers include Michael Hicks, David Sargent, Robert Kyr, Orlando Garcia, Mario Lavista and Krzysztof Penderecki. She received her BM in music composition at Brigham Young University in 1999.

Gunsay's music has been performed at numerous festivals. Festival performances of note include the New Music Miami Festival 1997 and Oregon Bach Festival 1998. She participated in the Women's Philharmonic Symposium 1997 in Oakland, California. In addition, she is the recipient of Vera Hinkley Mayhew Award 1997 for a symphonic work entitled "A Death Trilogy".

Gunsay's music is expressive, delicate and often includes a chromatic harmonic palette that unfolds unexpectedly in different keys and tonalities. Her aesthetic concerns are based upon the exploration of subtle musical timbers, counterpoint, register, density, balance and pacing for her music.