Young @ HEART – Miranda Aitken

A poet and musician, Miranda’s love for literature and music was nurtured by her parents’ love of the arts, and a childhood spent growing up in the isolated southwest in the 1970’s, where there wasn’t much else to do beside read, listen to vinyl records, play by the river and adventure into the magnificent karri and jarrah forests, which her parents were actively trying to save from being turned into woodchips.

During her studies at ECU, Miranda Aitken continued to write her connection to nature and place, exploring issues of language and identity, and connections between ecology and literature, with a strong focus on poetry and Australian writing. She also worked in a bookshop and had her second child, but with invaluable mentorship from her course co-ordinator, she finally got to wear the black robes and silly hat with an invitation to do Honours.

About Young@HEART

The Young@HEART music program is held at Margaret River HEART – Nala Bardip Mia every Monday morning from 10am to 11am. The program does not run on public holidays or when there is another major event in the foyer.

The initiative was developed to safely encourage participation in the arts among older residents (over 60s) during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to high interest, the free performances have since been opened to people of all ages. Nonetheless, the senior demographic still makes up the majority of the audience.

Young@Heart is broadcast live on Radio Margaret River.