John Melby (born 1941) is an American composer. Life and work John Melby is most widely known for his numerous compositions for computer-synthesized sounds, particularly in combination with live acoustic instruments. In addition to electronic music, Melby's catalog includes many acoustic chamber, vocal, and orchestral works. Since 2010, he has focused exclusively on writing acoustic music for chamber ensembles and symphony orchestra. Born in Whitehall, Wisconsin, Melby holds degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music, the University of Pennsylvania, and Princeton University. He studied with Henry Weinberg, George Crumb, Peter Westergaard, J. K. Randall, and Milton Babbitt. Melby has held faculty positions at West Chester University and was appointed to the faculty of the School of Music of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1973, where he served until his retirement in 1997. Melby has won numerous awards for his work including an NEA Fellowship (1977), a Guggenheim Fellowship (1983), an award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (1984), and the 1979 First Prize from the International Electroacoustic Music Awards in Bourges, France. His music is published by Theodore Presser Company (Merion Music), Associated Music Publishers, and American Composers Alliance. Recordings are available on a number of record labels. An all-Melby disc of three concerti was released on the Albany Records label in 2008. Major works Orchestral Concerto for Computer and Orchestra (1987) Symphony No. 1 (1993) Thanatopsis (1999) for lyric baritone, chorus, and orchestra Symphony No. 2 (2004) Piano Concerto No. 3 (2010) Violin Concerto No. 3 (2011) Violoncello Concerto No. 3 (2012) Viola Concerto No. 3 (2013) Symphony No. 3 (2019) Symphony No. 4 (2020) Symphony No. 5 (2020) Symphony No. 6 (2021) Symphony No. 7 (2021) Symphony No. 8 (2021) Symphony No. 9 (2022) Symphony No. 10 (2023) Electro-Acoustic Concerti Violin (No. 1: 1979 and No. 2: 1986) Violoncello (No. 1: 1981 and No. 2: 1989) Viola (No. 1: 1982 and No. 2: 2009) Flute (No. 1: 1984 and No. 2: 1990) Violin and English Horn (1984) Piano (No. 1: 1985 and No. 2: 2006) Clarinet (No. 1: 1986 and No. 2: 2006) English Horn (1986) Contrabass (1989) Violin and Piano (2008) Electro-Acoustic and Acoustic Vocal Two Norwegian Songs (1965–66) for soprano (or tenor) and piano (texts by Henrik Ibsen) Due canti de Leopardi (1966/74) for soprano, horn and piano (texts by Giacomo Leopardi) Two Dances (1970) for tenor and piano (text by L.