Alma Hernán Benedí, cello (Madrid, Spain), began her studies at the Padre Antonio Soler Conservatory in Madrid, where she graduated in 2011 with the “Premio Extraordinario”. She moved to London for her Bachelor studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Louise Hopkins, graduating with distinction. She was awarded a Collaborative Barbican prize for her work as director of a performance staged at Milton Court Theatre in London. In 2016, Alma taught with El Sistema in El Salvador, and later graduated with distinction from the Pedagogical Master’s degree program in Basel (Switzerland) and received a prize for the best pedagogical work. She is currently finishing her Performance Master’s degree program with Rafael Rosenfeld in Basel. Alma has played in many concert halls including Elbphilarmonie and Musikverein, and toured in all Europe and South Korea. She has been conducted by conductors such as Gianandrea Noseda, Kurt Masur, Vladimir Jurowski and Bernard Haitink. Alma has been a member of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester and L’Onda Armonica, academician in Kammerorchester Basel, and invited as cello leader in the orchestras Musique des Lumières and Les Musiciens du Louvre.