Staff Sgt. Zachary Merkovsky joined the West Point Band in 2025. Originally from Dumont, New Jersey, Staff Sgt. Merkovsky has a fondness for the New York Tri-State area. He received a Bachelor of Music from Montclair State University, and Master’s degrees from Manhattan School of Music and Yale School of Music, where he studied with Linda McKnight, Orin O’Brien, and Donald Palma, respectively. In addition to his duties with the band, Staff Sgt. Merkovsky maintains a busy freelance career. He is a member of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, and often plays with the North Carolina Symphony, Albany Symphony Orchestra, Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Jupiter Chamber Players, and New York Classical Players, among others. In addition to symphonic literature, Staff Sgt. Merkovsky is also devoted to chamber and contemporary music. He is one half of Doubles Duo, an oboe and double bass duo, where he works to broaden the repertoire for this unusual ensemble. He has spent three summers with the Lucerne Contemporary Festival Orchestra, and four at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival as a guest artist. Staff Sgt. Merkovsky can also be seen and heard on the soundtrack of Bradley Cooper’s Maestro (2023).