Born in Dunedin in 1963, Miranda has been Assistant Concertmaster with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra since 1994, and has performed concertos with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (1986 finalist in the TVNZ Young Musicians Competition) , Manukau Symphony, St Matthews in the City and many Regional NZ orchestras. She studied violin with Harvey Strang, Pamela Bryce, Elsa Jensen, Charmian Gadd, and also Karin Adam (in Vienna 2014 through an APO study grant). She holds a Post Graduate Diploma in violin and conducting from Otago University, also winning a scholarship to study Javanese Gamelan in Surakarta in 1985. Miranda has vast chamber music experience within NZ, most recently leading the Jade String Quartet since 2003, and also was a member of the world music group Bravura from 1999 til 2009, with several CDs of both these groups on Rattle Records. Miranda has commissioned over 20 works, mostly string quartets by NZ’s best known composers including David Hamilton, Ross Harris, Eve de Castro, John Elmsly, Leonie Holmes and Jonathan Besser.  As a conductor Miranda has performed with the APO, St Matthew Chamber Orchestra, NZSSSO and has been involved with the Westlake Chamber Orchestra since 1991, which she very much enjoys. Miranda lives on a rural property in West Auckland with her husband Robert Ashworth, their daughter, and many horses , cows, bees and other creatures.