“My mission as an artist is to be able to tell a story — one that helps listeners discover new emotional depths and connect with their inner voice.”

— María Qing Sigríðardóttir

Icelandic cellist María Qing Sigríðardóttir (b. 2004) is currently studying under the guidance of Prof. Conradin Brotbek at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart.

As a winner of the Icelandic Young Soloist Competition (2024), she made her solo debut with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in a performance broadcast live on national radio and has since appeared as a soloist with several orchestras across Iceland. María is also a Third Prize laureate of the North International Music Competition (2022).

Equally at home in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings, María performs regularly at music festivals and on international tours, appearing across Germany, Scandinavia, Austria, France, and the United States, among others.

Her artistry has been recognized through scholarships from the Rudolf von Tobel Studienstiftung (CH), Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Stuttgart (DE), and the Gesellschaft der Freunde der HMDK Stuttgart (DE). From 2022 to 2023, the young cellist held a place in the renowned Polstjärnepriset Nordic Edition funding program run by YOMA – the Young Musicians Academy in Sweden.

María began her cello studies at the age of five with Ina Krauß-Pfleghaar in Germany and later studied over ten years at Tónskóli Sigursveins Music School with Gunnar Kvaran and Örnólfur Kristjánsson. During the 2025/26 season, she is completing an internship with the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Mainz.

María plays a François Caussin cello from around 1860, generously made possible through the support of a private benefactor.

  • 2025 | Scholarship | Rodolf von Tobel Stiftung, Switzerland

    2025 | Instrument grant | Gesellschaft der Freunde der HMDK Stuttgart

    2025 | Member of scholarship programm | Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Stuttgart

    2024 | Winner | Icelandic Young Soloist Competition

    2022 | Third Prize Winner | The North International Music Competition

  • 2025-2026 | Internship | Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Mainz

    2023- | B.Mus Violoncello | Prof. Conradin Brotbek | Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart

    2022 | Highschool Music Exam, Violoncello | Gunnar Kvaran | Tónskóli Sigursveins

    2022 | Highschool Diploma, Science Major

  • Violoncello | Andreas Brantelid, Attila Pasztor, Conradin Brotbek, Denis Severin, Francis Gouton, Gunnar Kvaran, Hugo Rannou, Jakob Koranyi, Joachim Hess, Jonathan Swensen, Kian Soltani, Konstanze Gutzeit, Martti Rousi, Paul Handschke, Reinhard Latzko, Zoltan Paulich

    Chamber music | ATOS Trio, Jasper String Quartett, Martin Funda

    Project management | HMDK Stuttgart

    Voice acting | HMDK Stutgart

    Music communication | HMDK Stuttgart

    2025 | Collegium Musicum Sommer Orchestra Academy Pommersfelden | Germany

    2024 | Stage de musique de chambre Trouville-sur-Mer | France

    2023 | Cello Academy Rutesheim | Germany

    2023 | Ettal International Summermusic Academy | Germany

    2022-2023 | Polstjärnepriset Nordic Edition | Sweden & Norway

    2022 | Ettal International Summermusic Academy | Germany

    2022 | Vienna Cello Summit, Schloss Akademie | Austria

    2021 | Astona International Summermusic Academy | Switzerland

    2021 | Harpa International Music Academy (HIMA) | Iceland

  • See here

  • 2025 | Soloist, Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations | with Youth Orchestra & Guðni Franzson, conductor | Iceland

    2024 | Soloist, Kachaturian Cello Concerto | with Icelandic Symphony Orchestra & Petri Sakari, conductor | Iceland

    2022 | Rezital | with Matthias Halvorsen, pianist | Iceland

    2022 | Rezital, ”Töframáttur tónlistar” concert series | with Matthias Halvorsen, pianist | Iceland

  • 2024 | Member, Trio JAM | “Transformation of Hearts” Rezital, New Classical Music Festival Sidelfingen | Germany

    2023- | Member, Trio JAM | With Jonathan Hanke, pianist & Alice Compagnon Violinist

    2023 | Member, Mendelssohn Octett | Lange Nacht der Musik, Klassik Sommerfestival Ettal | Germany

    2019- | Member of various performing Chamer music groups

  • 2025-2026 | Internship | Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Mainz

    2025 | Collegium Musicum Sommer Orchestra Academy Pommersfelden | Germany

    2025 | Temporary help | Landes Blasorchester Baden Würtemberg | Germany

    2025 | One time help | Bläserphilharmonie Baden Würtemberg | Germany

    2025 | One time help | Stuttgarter Salontiger | Germany

    2024 | Member | Neue Musik Werkstatt HMDK Stuttgart | Germany

    2024- | Member | HMDK Stuttgart Symphony and Opera Orchester | Germany

    2023 | One time | Göteborg Symphony Orchestra | Concert | Sweden

    2019-2022 | Member | Icelandic Symphony Orchestra Youth department | Iceland

    2019 | Member | Viking Barrok | Sweden & Iceland

  • 2025 | Substitute teacher | One week | Tónskóli Sigursveins | Iceland

    2025 | Tutor | HMDK Stuttgart | Germany

    2024- | Privat teacher