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Meet the Musicians: violinist Miranda Carson

18 September 2025.

A key member of the TSO’s violin section and a regular in Mona’s experimental 4PM series, Miranda Carson loves being part of the Tasmanian community.

We sat down with Miranda to chat about life on and off stage, fashion, baking, and the path that brought her from Queensland to Tasmania.

Hi Miranda, Tasmanian audiences know you as a key member of the orchestra’s violin section, but you also play a lot of smaller ensemble concerts around the state. What do you enjoy about both sides of your profession?

Performing as a member of the TSO violin section is at the core of my profession, while playing in a chamber ensemble presents different challenges. I feel it’s important to continue to push myself with extra projects and, in the end, this improves my contributions back to the orchestra. I’m lucky there are so many wonderful instrumentalists in Tasmania to collaborate with.

A project that I’ve really enjoyed being involved with is the live art installation, 4PM, at Mona. Over the last four years, I’ve been a regular member of the string quartet who come together at 4pm to sightread the music of composer Dean Stevenson, which has been written just hours before we perform it!

It’s a thrill to learn and perform a new quartet in front of a live audience, bringing it to life in real time – giving those watching an insight into what it takes to bring classical music to the concert stage.

I love connecting with audiences in this way, whether it be as part of the TSO or in the more intimate chamber music environment.

You’re originally from Brisbane and joined the TSO in 2007, a few years after graduating from the University of Queensland (with First Class Honours!). Do you think of yourself as a Tasmanian?

I most definitely think of Tasmania as home. I’ve spent most of my adult life in Tasmania, bought my home here and have found a wonderful community of friends.

Plus, as anyone will tell you I loathe the heat! I’m not sure how I survived my first 23 years (especially wearing Dr Martens) in Brisbane summer.

I have family in Brisbane and Melbourne, so being so far apart is the only downside.

Eagle-eyed concert goers might notice your impeccable outfits, including some killer heels!

Ha! I actually do have special ‘Dad’ built shelves at home that display my collection of black boots and heels. Unfortunately, most of them aren’t concert hall appropriate.

Luckily some are ‘Odeon appropriate'. So, those who are also keen on fashion can keep an eye out for them at our Obscura concerts.

I do like to dress up for a concert. It is a creative outlet for me and also gets me in the right frame of mind to perform on stage.

Please tell us about some of your personal career highlights.

There have been so many! I do remember my very first concert with the TSO towards the end of 2006. I was 24 at the time and still making a name for myself as a freelance violinist in Melbourne.

Luckily for me, there must have been a nasty bug going around the TSO violin section and I received a call to step in as a casual violinist.

It was a baptism of fire as I had to come in on the final day of rehearsal and sightread a Brahms Symphony!

I was pretty inexperienced and had never even played any of the Brahms symphonies.

The TSO performing the work of Béla Bartók .

Despite the challenge, I had so much fun and really connected with vibe of the orchestra. I was asked back a few more times the next year and, each time I caught the airport shuttle in, it felt more and more like home.

More recently a great project to work on has been the TSO’s recent Bartók recordings with Eivand Aadland. It was a sometimes challenging process, but ultimately so rewarding to get the opportunity to take a deep dive into this amazing repertoire.

Is there something about you that might surprise people?

My grade 12 graduation performance was Gershwins’s Rhapsody in Blue - the solo piano part!

Like many musicians, I started music by learning piano. This was my main instrument as a child and into my teenage years.

It wasn’t until I was about 15 that I actually started to focus on the violin.

Although my parents aren’t musicians, somehow my siblings and I have pursued music in our lives.

My older sister is a professional pianist and my brother a talented singer who, as a young kid liked to show off his party trick of whistling the opening theme of Tchaikovsky’s first piano concerto perfectly in tune.

When I’m not working, I love spending time in my cute cottage in New Town. As a self-confessed crazy cat lady, I’ve been sharing my space with two felines for many years.

My beautiful boy Roger passed away recently. He wasn’t what you’d call a fan of the violin, escaping to the garden as soon as I’d open the case to practise.

My rescue cat Zorro is 19 and puts up with my practice possibly due to being mostly deaf.

I think he secretly enjoys it though.

Your fellow musicians are often in raptures when it’s your turn to bake the rehearsal snacks. Tell us about the TSO baking club.

The baking club was Caleb’s idea (Principal Viola Caleb Wright) but, since he doesn’t bake, he just enjoys everyone else’s cooking!

I don’t think I’m a naturally good baker and my oven is a bit broken. So, I follow the recipe and hope for the best.

Baking aside, cooking is one of my passions. I love hosting dinners at my place, organising and fretting over a menu. Things don’t always work out perfectly, but it’s fun and I like to get people together.

Miranda and colleagues recording a 4PM album at Frying Pan Studio, Mona.

Dinner party at Miranda's with some familiar TSO faces.

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