Mel Bay best selling author Misha V. Stefanuk
started playing piano at the age of 5. He composed his first piece
when he was 9. Mr. Stefanuk studied at the Moscow Studio of Music
Improvisation Art, the Moscow Conservatory School, the Russian
Academy of Music, Belmont University, Skidmore Jazz Institute,
and Washington State University. He has written more then 100
works for a variety of instrumentations, as well as music for
more than 30 theater shows. Mr. Stefanuk wrote an original score
for Y2K Survival Guide with Leonard Nemoy. Misha has composed
a significant amount of music for network television, including
programs such as All My Children(ABC), One Life to Live (ABC),
Passions (NBC), Chris Isaak Show (Showtime) and First Monday (CBS).
Among his other works are the Mel Bay bestsellers Jazz Piano Chords
(2001) and Jazz Piano Scales (2003), Jazz Piano for the Young
Beginner (2005), and Piano for Adults (2003). His Piano Christmas
for Easy Piano made the publisher's 20 Gifts for under $20 List
for Christmas 2004.
Mr. Stefanuk
is a monthly columnist for Creative Keyboard and was a judge at
the 6th Annual Chopin Youth Piano Competition, June 2004 in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. Mr. Stefanuk is a prize winner of the Stereotypes and
Nations Composition Competition held by Muzica Centrum Art Society
in Cracow, Poland for his composition Equinokse for oboe, string
trio and prepared piano, and of the Concerto Aria Composition
Competition at Belmont University for his piece The New American
Symphony. He was also named Outstanding Piano Player at the l29th
Annual Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, and has won full scholarships
at Belmont University, Washington State University, and Skidmore
Summer Jazz Institute.