Miriam Niessl was born into a large musical family blessed by the joy of music. From the young age of 4, she commenced her studies under the Suzuki tutelage of Christine Dunaway and after being awarded her AMusA at 13 continued her studies with Dr Brendan Joyce, the artistic director of Camerata. As a young talent, Miriam was invited to multiple Suzuki summer and winter schools and received masterclasses from several of Australia’s and America’s most distinguished professionals. Moreover, through AUSTA-Q, Miriam has undertaken public masterclasses from Dr Robin Wilson, Violin professor of the Australian National Academy of Music and deemed the Pamela Dowsett Bursary Recipient. Through the Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Young Instrumentalist Prize’, Miriam was awarded the loan of an A.E Smith Violin and the highly memorable opportunity to perform a duet with the Concertmaster, Warwick Adeny. 

As a longstanding member of the Queensland Youth Orchestras, this is Miriam’s nineth year in the organisation where she is Associate Concertmaster of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra under Simon Hewett’s Baton. These years have provided Miriam with an abundance of opportunities to perform as a soloist, in the representative quartet and on several tours to regional Queensland. The orchestra toured to Asia and Europe in 2017 where the following year Miriam was selected as Principal Second Violinist. Hence, after closely working with the renown John Curro AM MBE, it was a very touching moment for Miriam to have been part of his memorial service in 2019. 

In 2021, Miriam commenced her studies at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University where she now studies under the repute Michele Walsh. Her tertiary studies are supported by the Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship due to outstanding secondary schooling academic achievement. Miriam competed in several in house competitions including the Basil Jones Sonata Prize and the Matilda Jane Aplin Prize where she was awarded as a finalist and prize winner respectively. Miriam has immensely enjoyed her membership in the Tarilindy Quartet where the group was announced a finalist in the 4MBS chamber music prize and nominated to represent Australia in the ‘Musical Chairs’ international Chamber Music Festival in Canada. 

This year, Miriam is greatly excited to participate in the Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp, perform as soloist with the Indooroopilly Chamber Orchestra and having been invited by Artistic Director Alex Raineri, make her debut performance in the Young Artist series of the Brisbane Music Festival.