Melissa Leslie is an American pianist, composer and recording artist. For Melissa, music has always been a part of her life. When she was a baby, her mother would sing her lullabies in Spanish to soothe her, and as a young child her father would bounce her on his knee in church to the rhythm of gospel hymns. Melissa’s parents, recognizing their daughter’s deep attachment to music, saved their money and bought her a second -hand piano.
And so, at the age of 6, Melissa embarked on a journey that would become the most enduring passion of her life. She began composing songs when she was 10 and soon after honed her skills in increasingly difficult competitions. Melissa’s love of the piano quickly opened up a new world of the performing arts to her and she found herself exceling in the areas of vocal, orchestral, choir, dance and Spanish poetry.

Classically trained at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City, Mexico and the Cleveland Institute of Music in vocal and piano performance, Melissa gave numerous recitals in Mexico and the United States and was honored by various prestigious associations. Following the rigorous schedule of her college years, Melissa took a break from the piano initially joining a pop vocal group and continuing on with her own solo pop career. Although she enjoyed touring internationally and was excited to hear her songs played on the radio, the records she made during that time failed to fulfill her in the same way her earlier piano work had done. She felt compelled to return to her roots, but it would take many years before she realized her true destiny.

When Melissa finally returned to the piano, it was a bittersweet homecoming. She discovered that skill neglected does not endure and found her ability unequal to her enthusiasm. Undaunted, she re-dedicated herself to her craft, mastering it to an extent she had not done in a decade. Once again, she became a technically proficient pianist, yet underneath her playing ran a current of unexpressed emotions, emotions of a lifetime of learning and failing and living and loving. Since that time, Melissa has transformed from musician to musical story-teller and has turned her life’s experiences into the most revealing compositions of her career. Each one is unique. Each one inspired. Each one an invitation. These are the songs of Heart on a String.