Mia is an Assistant Professor of Steelpan at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), a PhD candidate in musicology at Florida State University (FSU), and the co-founder of Pastiche Steel Ensemble and the Virtual Steelband, Mia Gormandy is an accomplished musician with an extensive CV to prove it. A native of Trinidad and Tobago, she began playing the steelpan at age five and won her first competition at age six. Mia has performed in several different countries all over the world including Australia, Austria, England, Japan, USA, Canada and countries of the Caribbean. At age fifteen, Mia attained a full scholarship to attend Northern Illinois University (NIU) where she graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Music degree. In 2008, she became the first pannist to ever win the NIU Concerto Competition. 

Mia guest starred at several American university steelbands including University of Akron Steel Drum Band and Humboldt State University Calypso Band. Several different committees awarded her over the years including the Laventille Steelband Festival Foundation and the Port-of-Spain City Corporation. She was also awarded “One of NIU’s Most Outstanding Women of the Year 2011.” Mia graduated in May of that year with her Master of Music degree in steelpan performance. She has performed with many world-renowned artists such as guitarist Berta Rojas and 11-time Grammy award winner Paquito D’Rivera. In 2013, Mia graduated with a second Master of Music degree in musicology at FSU and is now pursuing a PhD where her dissertation topic is entitled “Pan in Japan.” She is also a recipient of the Howard Mayer Brown Fellowship awarded by the American Musicological Society. Mia has recently been appointed 2017 arranger for Trinidad and Tobago steelband, birdsong Steel Orchestra.