Susan Miranda, oboist, entrepreneur, and founder of Larkspur Reed Trio and BS Project, and co-founder of Dúo León, and Reed5, is a versatile performer and musician. Dr. Miranda’s strengths are many, including business owner, writer, and new music pioneer.

Her flourishing performing career focuses on the development and commission of new music. Recent premieres include a commissioning consortium led by Dr. Miranda alongside Dr. Onsby Rose, with a premiere of Hidden Currents with the Dordt University Wind Symphony; Across by Theresa Martin at the 2022 International Double Reed Society Conference (IDRS); Colors by Virginia Samuel at the 2022 Biennial North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Conference; Trio No. 11 by Jonathan Posthuma at the 2022 Regional NASA Conference in Arlington, TX; Larkspur: Prelude and Scherzo by Posthuma at the 2023 International Clarinet Association (ICA) Conference in Denver, CO; and works by Posthuma and Gary Powell Nash at the 2023 IDRS Conference in Salaya, Thailand. Dr. Miranda’s research interest in music by women produced performances at the International Music by Women Conference in Columbus, MS, and the SHE Festival at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR. Recently, she premiered music by Snow Kim and Jonathan Posthuma at the 2024 IDRS Conference in Flagstaff, AZ. The following week, Larkspur Reed Trio premiered a work by Nancy Williams at the ICA Conference in Dublin, Ireland.

Dr. Miranda is the Visiting Assistant Professor of Oboe at Oklahoma State University and Adjunct Oboe Professor at Dordt University and Hamline University. In addition to teaching at the college level, her interest in education and outreach spans all ages. This love of sharing music with the next generation prompted her to co-write an original musical story with BS Project saxophonist, Brian Handeland called Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox Find the Blues. The duo performed their program 117 times at schools and libraries in MN, WI, and KS throughout 2022-2023 working with students of all ages from preschool to high school and college.   

    With a deep passion for music education, Dr. Miranda has written grants and headed numerous innovative outreach projects. Larkspur Reed Trio recently released an educational music video. The trio commissioned composer Alejandra Odgers to write music accompanying Alexandra Alessandri’s story Isabel and her Colores Go to School. The video was shared with libraries, and schools, and is available through the ensemble’s YouTube for no cost to children, families, and educators.

    Dr. Miranda had the opportunity to attend Interlochen Arts Academy as a high school senior, where she studied with Daniel Stolper. She holds a DMA and MM from the University of Kansas, and a BA in Communications from the University of Minnesota.

    In addition to music, one of her passions is traveling.  She and her daughter have the goal of traveling to all 431 National Park Sites, and they have a good start with 250 under their belt!