Anna Vala Ólafsdóttir (contralto) began her singing studies with Þórunn Guðmundsdóttir at the Reykjavík College of Music, where she also studied the cello. After finishing her studies at the Reykjavík College of Music, she moved to Berlin where she had singing lessons with Roberta Cunningham and Neil Semer and from there she left for Utrecht, The Netherlands. Anna Vala finished her singing studies at the Conservatory of Utrecht in summer 2015 and she is currently following master studies in classical singing at the Conservatory of Tilburg. Her aim is to specialise in music from the renaissance and baroque period as well as contemporary music. She will begin studies in advanced ensemble singing at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in September 2016. Anna Vala is a member of a cappella quintet Solis, which specialises in music from the renaissance and baroque period and she also sings with the early music chamber group KirstiConsort which focusses on music composed by women during the baroque era. Anna Vala has performed in various places in the Netherlands, both as a soloist and as a member of chamber ensembles, as well as having performed in Germany, Austria and Iceland. Anna Vala received the Austria Barock Akademie Award in 2014.