Melvin Lauf, Jr. (b. Ottawa, Ohio, February 12, 1971) is a prolific composer of works for flute, piccolo, and flute ensemble. His works for solo piccolo including Angel of Victory and Sonata for Piccolo and Piano are favorites of the piccolo community. Lauf's works for flute ensemble are especially popular in the flute choir circuit. He is an avid promoter of the "other" flutes (piccolo, alto flute, and bass flute) as solo instruments, which is evident in his works for flute quartet and flute choir.

He has written works for the Ottawa Hills Flute Choir, Flûtée, and numerous works for Potomack Flutes and the Columbia Flute Choir. He has been commissioned by the Woodbridge Flute Choir and the Flute Society of Washington (in conjunction with the Brannen-Cooper Fund) among others. Lauf's American Holiday, written for the Rappahannock Pops Orchestra in 2000, was received with great acclaim. Angel of Victory for Piccolo and Piano (1999) was dedicated to the Angel of Victory Fund for a concert benefitting the Historical Society of Ocean Grove (New Jersey). The piece immediately caught the attention of piccoloists around the country.

His works have been performed at the White House and the Kennedy Center and by performers including the Woodbridge Flute Choir, the Ottawa Hills Flute Choir, the Kirkwood Flute Ensemble, the Fauquier Flute Ensemble, the Toronto Youth Flute Orchestra, the Western Michigan Flute Orchestra, the Rappahannock Pops Orchestra, Dominion Brass, the Columbia Flute Choir, and Potomack Flutes. His Millennium Celebration was performed in Sydney, Australia as part of the pre-ceremonies for the 2000 Olympics.

Lauf's artistry as a composer is largely self-developed. He has been influenced by his friend, mentor, and fellow composer, Jennifer Higdon as well as other contemporary composers. Lauf is a graduate from the Armed Forces School of Music, having performed on trumpet, flute, and piccolo with the 113th Army Band at Fort Knox, Kentucky (1990-1994). While at Fort Knox, he performed frequently with the Army Community Theater (ACT) and the Elizabethtown Community Band in addition to performing solo recitals.

Since 1994, Lauf has been stationed at Fort Myer, Virginia with the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. He performs regularly on piccolo, flute, alto flute, and bass flute and is sometimes found conducting his own works. Lauf is the founder and director of Potomack Flutes and a member of the Columbia Flute Choir. He began his study of the harp in April 2002 and has written for and performed on this instrument. His works for flute are published by Nourse Wind Publications and FLUTE.NET Publications.