Melissa Frisch, a native St. Louis, Missouri, was appointed Principal Clarinet of the New York City Ballet in 2026. She also performs as the Second and E-flat Clarinetist of the Britt Festival Orchestra. Prior to these roles, she served as Second Clarinet in the Tucson Symphony Orchestra from 2025-2026 and Principal Clarinet in the Sarasota Opera Orchestra for its 2025 season. Her first professional engagement was as Second Clarinet with the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, where she was a core member from 2023 to 2025.
Melissa has performed as a guest musician with esteemed ensembles including the Kansas City Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Long Beach Symphony, and the American Youth Symphony. Among her accolades, Melissa was awarded Second Prize in the 2023 International Clarinet Association Young Artist Competition.
Melissa holds a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Music from DePaul University. Her principal teachers include Yehuda Gilad, Julie DeRoche, and Stephen Williamson.
In her free time, Melissa enjoys cooking, traveling, hiking, and spending time with her three cats - Biscuit, Beans, and Alice.
