Milena Umiglia-Marena took her first lessons with her mother and began her formal training at age 10 with Rafael Rosenfeld, ultimately earning her Bachelor's degree at the Basel Music Academy under his guidance. Since September 2019, she has continued her studies with Thomas Grossenbacher at the Zurich University of the Arts.
Her musical talent has earned her recognition in various national and international competitions, including the Swiss Youth Music Competition (2012/2014/2016), Murten Classics Cello Competition (2018), Schenk Soloist Competition (2021), Kiwanis Soloist Competition in Zurich (2023), Vienna Classical Music Academy (2023), 19th International Padova Music Competition (2023), and the Slava International Cello Competition (2023). Additionally, she has excelled in chamber music, winning at events like the Swiss
Chamber Music Competition Orpheus (2021), Kiwanis Chamber Music Competition Zurich (2022), and receiving the top prize from the Curt and Marian Dienemann Foundation (2023). Notably, she was a finalist in the Young Credit Suisse Competition with her former string quartet (2022).
Milena has been supported by scholarships from esteemed institutions such as the Friedl Wald Foundation and the International Lyceum Club Zurich, as well as the patronage of the Rolf and Trudy Aebi-Lüthy Foundation. She has furthered her musical education through master classes led by renowned figures including David Geringas, Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, Peter Bruns, Maximilian Hornung, and Reinhard Latzko, along with chamber music mentors like Eberhardt Feltz and Robert Levin. Collaborating with esteemed artists like Julia Fischer, Alexander Sitkovetsky, and Nils Mönkemeyer, among others, Milena's chamber music pursuits continue to thrive, with future performances planned alongside Corina Belcea.
Milena's soloist engagements have showcased her talent across Switzerland, Italy, Argentina, Chile, and Spain, collaborating with orchestras such as the Neues Orchester Basel, Collegium Musicum Zug, Orquesta Sinfonica de Tucuman (ARG), Argovia Philharmonic, Zentralschweizer Jugendsinfonieorchester, orchestra di Padova e del Veneto (ITA), Ensemble Kuraia (ESP), and the Slovakian Chamber Orchestra.
She is currently playing on a cello made by Alessandro Gagliano in Naples in 1715.