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.