Italian cellist Caterina Isaia was born in 2002 in a family of musicians.

She is currently pursuing her Bachelor Degree at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar under the guidance of Professor Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt.
Her early musical education included studies with Marianne Chen and Monika Leskovar.
From 2017 to 2021, she was a scholarship holder at the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin School in London, where she studied with Bartholomew LaFollette and Matthijs Broersma.

Caterina has demonstrated her skill and artistry in numerous national and international competitions.  She received first prizes at the Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition 2016, International Vychytil Cello Competition in Prague 2020, the Rudolf Barshai International Strings Competition in St. Petersburg. At a national level, she received first prizes in Treviso, Piove di Sacco, Quinto Vicentino, Florence, Asti, Milan, Stresa, Giussano, Cortemilia, among others.

Recently , she was a semi-finalist at the 2024 Witold Lutoslawski International Cello competition, as well as reaching the finals of the 2024 Janigro International Cello competition and winning 3rd prize at the Accordi Musicali International Cello Competition.

Caterina was awarded with the special prize "Prix du Musee Bonnat- Helleu" at the Ravel Festival in 2021, by Professors Frans Helmerson and Francois Salque. 

As a soloist, Caterina has performed at prestigious venues such as Teatro La Fenice, Teatro alla Scala, Teatro Politeama of Palermo, The Menuhin Hall, Sala Alfredo Piatti, Vienna Stadtpalais Liechtenstein, Theater Casino Zug, Montforthaus Feldkirch, Residenz Munich, Ljubljana Festival, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Wimbledon Festival and Luxembourg Philharmonie.

At the 2022 EXPO in Dubai, at the Italy Pavilion, she performed “Violoncelle Vibrez” for two cellos with the cellist and composer Giovanni Sollima.

In the 2024 season, Caterina has performed, with Alexander Gilman and the LGT Young Soloists , Vasks Cello Concerto No. 2 at the Großer Saal of Tonhalle Zurich, as well as performing with the Zagreb Soloists at the 2024 Festival Janigro.

Caterina is also an enthusiastic chamber musician, having participated in various academies and festivals, including the Gstaad Festival and Academy, Kronberg Academy Cello Masterclasses, Ravel Festival and Academy, and Villecroze Academy. She is a scholarship holder at the Music Academy in Liechtenstein.
She is set to release her first debut CD in 2025 , as a soloist with the LGT Young Soloists, playing P. Vasks Cello Concerto n.2 “Presence”.

Since 2022, she has been an active member of the renowned LGT Young Soloists and in 2023, she became an official endorser of Jargar Strings.

She plays a F. Gagliano cello made in 1753, kindly loaned by the Hochschule für Musik Franz Listz Weimar.