About Miranda
Passion + Experience
I genuinely get excited to be a part of someone’s musical journey! I have done some amazing gigs, performing nationally and internationally in a variety of genres – rock, folk, world, blues, gypsy jazz groups – but my passion for teaching music and helping people get to where they want to go on guitar, has superseded my passion for performing… I’ve taught for over fifteen years at music, performing arts schools and privately. My teaching experience combined with my formal music studies [Ad. Dip. Music Jazz Guitar, Bachelor of Music Studies – World Music, Cert IV Training and Assessment] and performance experience, has led me to a great place where I can confidently teach and mentor guitarists from the beginner to performance stage (if that is the goal). I want to help YOU reach your goals just the way I have reached mine.
Performance Highlights
With 20 years of performing I’ve played some fantastic gigs like QPAC Concert Hall, Woodford (countless times) and Splendour in the Grass music festivals as well as touring nationally and internationally. I also played for visiting international artists Andreas Oberg, Lollo Meier and Robin Nolan, and during time in Paris I was lucky enough to be invited to sit in with renowned gypsy jazz guitarists like Samy Daussat, Angelo Debarre, Noé Reinhardt, Rocky Gresset, Adrien Moignard and Sébastien Giniaux. Local legends I’ve enjoyed playing with: Ewan MacKenzie, Shenzo Gregorio, Susy Blue, Cameron Ford and Mzaza. BUT let me tell you – my initial performances were far from amazing! I had so many nerves, shakes, anxiety post-performance etc. It was a huge challenge in the beginning! But I had faith that if others could perform confidently, I could too. And so can you, if that’s something you’re interested in! Being a performance coach and performance mentor is one of my favourite aspects of being a music teacher. Let me know if this is something you need help with.
Gypsy Jazz Guitar Adventures..
While studying jazz guitar at university I had a mini crisis. I wasn’t really playing much music, just studying. I deferred and started hanging out and jamming with the local gypsy jazz players. After augmenting my existing jazz guitar skills with the nuances of gypsy jazz for a few months, I started gigging in the style and life was never the same. If you’re keen to learn and jam and become a part of the community, get in touch for some lessons HERE. Recently while in France I got to speak with David Reinheardt (gypsy jazz pioneer Django Reinheardt’s grandson) and shared with him that the majority of my life is the way it is because of the music of his grandfather, and that I was so grateful for it all. Aside from enjoying the spirit of the music, I absolutely love the gypsy jazz community. I’ve made so many friends and had so many adventures, worldwide. Highlights include learning with the amazing European guitarists one-on-one while I was living in Paris for 15 months, attending music camps and gypsy jazz festivals on subsequent trips back, and also performing on stage alongside the amazing guitarists mentioned in the previous section!
Gypsy Jazz Montage
From Brisbane to Paris and back again…
LA MAISON DU SWING - "I'll see You in My Dreams”
One of my millions(!) of bands jamming at my teaching studio.
Swing Manouche - Bistro Fada
We filmed this on the same day I flew back to Australia after living in Paris. ZzzZzzz
Si Tu Savais at Sinti Jazz Guitar Camp
I love spending time in the Netherlands learning with the amazing Sinti gypsy musicians.
Brazilian Love…
Before gypsy jazz, I fell in love with the sounds of bossa nova and samba, via one particular Putumayo Music compilation called Samba Bossa Nova. It was an immediate and deep love and I started seeking out lessons with guitarists who played in the style. There is a lot of crossover with jazz – though traditionally it is played on nylon string guitars – so I picked it up easily and have played gigs in the style here and there. Recently I started to realise my dream of forming my own Brazilian music band in the style and enlisted one of my guitar students Ali to sing. Because I’m in countless of other bands we are still getting all the repertoire together, not to mention one of our other members has gone traveling overseas, so it’s been a little slow, but you can listen to some samples below! After working with me, Ali has become an awesome bossa/samba guitarist in her own right and you can listen to her beautiful playing HERE. If you’re keen to get Brazilian bossa nova guitar lessons, please contact me HERE.
Samba de un Minuto
A beautiful cover by Roberta Sa
Corcovado
One of my fave Brazilian standards.
Rock and Roll..
The Grates at Splendour in the Grass
Viewing this footage of us playing to tens of thousands of people at Splendour in the Grass gets my heart pumping for rock n roll again!
Rock was my first love, falling for it in my teenage years like most of us do, and I had the common dream of becoming a rockstar (!) which led me to taking up guitar. It’s such a fun style to play and teach! After a couple of years of obsession I gravitated towards other styles, but not before making a bold statement at a party to an old schoolmate – “I will play the Livid festival within 10 years”. Livid was the festival of the time. Fast forward a decade and I found myself playing the mainstage of the Splendour in the Grass festival (which had essentially replaced Livid) with Brisbane rock band the Grates, as a touring musician, playing guitar and bass and keys (the latter two I had no prior experience in pre-auditioning for the band! #cramsessions). I did a few tours with them including being the supports for The Hives for their Australian tour and Modest Mouse for their New Zealand tour. One of the coolest things was sitting in a van on the way to Splendour next to the guitarist from Jebediah – the band that got me hooked on music. We had the same tour manager so had played a couple of the same festivals, but to actually sit down for an hour and chat and thank him for turning me onto music and guitar was something so special and unexpected. My teenage self was freaking out; I had come full circle!
Let me know if you’re keen to freak out your teenage self by learning to rock out on your fave tunes! Contact me HERE.
Other Fave Musical Moments..
Having my little Verandah Jams where I invite my friends around for pizza and wine. They all bring their instruments and no songs are off limits – we usually start with some gypsy jazz and latin tunes, but if we haven’t sung Eternal Life and More Than Words by the end of the night, did the night even happen?!
I also love my Verandah Jams with my students. A lot of them have never played with or in front of anyone else. Everyone is nervous, but brave, so they have a go anyway. Lots of mistakes are made and embraced! It’s such a heartwarming experience for me to not only hear the music and skills they’ve been working on come to life, but to also see the students connecting with each other – my little community. So great.
Being in the bars and restaurants of Paris after closing, listening to my new musician pals jamming around a table, sipping on wine (or whiskey) until the early hours of the morning. Which no doubt surprises my Aussie friends who know me as someone who likes to be cosy at home in the evenings!
The best thing is there are many musical moments to come..
If you’re keen to put more music into your life, I’d love to be the one to help you achieve your goals. Get in touch HERE.
Clandestino - Manu Chao cover
I love jamming with my friend Susy Blue when she’s in town.. Once upon a time (in the days of Myspace!!) we had a duo called Mi Luna Mi Sol…and I miss it!!
Jamming With Friends - Minor Swing - the gypsy jazz anthem!:
Good vibes at the Sunday Hot Club gig