Miho Wada

Miho Wada is a Japanese-born jazz musician from New Zealand. She plays flute and both alto and tenor saxophone, and is a founding member of Miho's Jazz Orchestra, which has toured internationally. She has been nicknamed "the flute ninja" for her fast playing style.

Early life Born in Japan, Wada began taking piano lessons at the age of four. In 1995, Wada's father – an enthusiastic fan of New Zealand rugby and yachting – decided to move the family to Burnside, Christchurch in New Zealand. Despite being excited at the opportunity, Wada found herself feeling out of place among the other students at the academy, and afterwards began exploring jazz and world music venues.

In 2009, Wada returned to New Zealand and settled down in Auckland. Miho's Jazz Orchestra has continued to perform steadily since then, touring New Zealand, Australia and Japan, and the group's musical style is described as "a combination of Afro-Cuban and J-pop, influenced by contemporary jazz". In 2015, Wada gave birth to a son.