Melvin Platt is on leave during the 2008-09 academic year. He formerly served as Director of the School of Music at the University of Missouri-Columbia for seventeen years until July 2008. Before joining the MU faculty in 1991, he was Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Music at the University of Oklahoma (1977-91). Prior to that, he taught at Kent State University (1972-77), the Catholic University of America (1968-72), and as instrumental/choral music teacher in the Armada, Michigan schools. He holds a bachelor's degree in music education degree and a master's degree in musicology from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in music education from the University of Michigan.

He has been active in various state and national professional organizations. He served as Vice President and President of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association and was the principal writer of the 1989 Oklahoma state music curriculum guide. In 1990, Dr. Platt was named Outstanding Music Educator by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association. That same year, he also received the Governor's Arts and Education Award for exceptional service to music education in Oklahoma. More recently, he served as President of the Missouri Association of Departments and Schools of Music in 1996-98 and 2006-08.

On the national scene, he has served as National Chair of the MENC Music Education History Special Research Interest Group and as a member of the Editorial Board of the Music Educators Journal. He is a former member of the Editorial Board of the Bulletin of Historical Research in Music Education. His research has focused on the history of music instruction in the United States. He has served as a consultant, program reviewer, and National Association of Schools of Music evaluator of music programs at universities in Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Utah. He is member of the Music Educators National Conference and the College Music Society.

During his tenure as Director of the School of Music at the University of Missouri, all music degree programs were reviewed, revised, and upgraded, and music courses for general students were increased. The enrollment of music majors was increased by 46 percent, and the number of ensembles were increased, particularly chamber music ensembles. The band, orchestra, and percussion areas were moved from Jesse Hall to the better facilities in Loeb Hall. Choral ensembles and the opera workshop were moved to remodeled space in McKee Gymnasium, and additional space for bass and tuba practice and instrument/equipment storage was obtained in Loeb Hall. The name of the Department of Music was changed to School of Music in March 2000 to reflect its current mission, program scope, academic quality, and national standing. External funding from private benefactors was increased substantially during his tenure. Since 1997, five music students from the University have won national music competitions sponsored by the Music Teachers National Association, and eleven others have been finalists in MTNA national competitions. In addition, two other students won national Student Composer Awards from Broadcast Music Incorporated. In 2002, the School of Music commissioned the creation of Corps of Discovery, a new opera based on the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-06. Performances of that work drew national attention to the University of Missouri.