Funeral Service

Friday, June 6, 2025
1 PM

The Green-Wood Cemetery Historic Chapel
500 25th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11232

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Sharon Lucille Moe Miranda
April 14, 1942 - June 1, 2025

After battling Alzheimer's for eight years with grace and elegance, Sharon died in her sleep, peacefully listening to music in Long Island, New York on Sunday afternoon June 1st, 2025.

Sharon Moe was born in Rapid City, South Dakota on April 14th, 1942. Her father was a Lutheran Minister and her mother was a singer, piano teacher, choir director, and mother of five children. From a young age, Sharon was extremely talented and she was blessed to be able to do what she loved her entire life! She began playing piano at 5 and French Horn at 10 years old. The French Horn was her first love.

Sharon attended St. Olaf College where she later won the Distinguished Alumni Award. After winning a competition at just 17 years old, she was awarded a full scholarship for her education and subsequently earned a Masters of Music from Manhattan School of Music in NYC. She won many more competitions, awards, and scholarships throughout her life, including: the Most Valuable Performer Award from NARAS (National Academy for Recording Arts and Sciences), being nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her composition, "Windows" in 1985 and receiving the Pioneer Award in 2017 by the International Women's Brass Conference for her outstanding career.

Music was forever intertwined with her destiny. She became a renowned French Horn virtuoso, playing in concert halls and stages all over the world. She was also a very talented composer and later, a music teacher. When she met her other half on the stage of Carnegie Hall, Anthony "Tony" Miranda, the two fell in love and from then on they made beautiful music with their French Horns together. They were married until Tony's death in 2000. They had one daughter, Antonia.

Sharon was a long time member of many orchestras and music groups, including:
Principal Horn at the American Symphony Orchestra, Musica Aeterna, Colonial Symphony, New York City Opera, New York City Ballet, New York Chamber Soloists, the Vermont Mozart Festival, Bronx Arts Ensemble, the Long Island Philharmonic and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. Her career brought her all over the world and sometimes her daughter joined them on tour.  She also contracted musicians and performed at Marble Collegiate Church for many years.

In addition to performing, playing on recordings, teaching, and contracting musicians, she composed several pieces for orchestra, choir, and brass. Sharon loved creating music. She arranged hundreds of pieces over the years. She was a member of ASCAP and her compositions were premiered at Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, and various other stages across the United States.

Sharon was an incredibly supportive wife and mother, always talking about God and thinking on the positive side. She loved to help others succeed and was an inspiring and beloved teacher at various institutions including Manhattan School of Music Prep, New Jersey City University, Long Island University, and conducting master classes at various colleges. She always encouraged her daughter and anyone that would listen to dream big and reach for the stars. If she could help them succeed, she did. Her family knows that she is now an angel watching over all of us.

She is predeceased by her husband Tony Miranda and her brother Sylvan Moe. She is survived by her daughter, Antonia Miranda and her siblings Janet Baldwin, Karla Moe, and Rick Moe.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to consider donating to the Manhattan School of Music PreCollege Scholarship Fund by clicking the link below, and then scrolling down to "PreCollege Scholarship Fund"
https://giving.msmnyc.edu/pages/home-2491#open_giving_form=true
Please note that you are donating on behalf of the memory of Sharon Moe Miranda.