Ainhoa Garmendia was born in San Sebastian, Spain . She studied accordion and piano at the Music Conservatory of San Sebastien and started her singing studies at the Orfeon Donostiarras Singing School. She went on with singing studies at the Music University in Madrid (class of Manuel Cid) and at the Universität für Musik in Vienna (class of Helena Lazarska). Prize winner of several national and international singing competitions, she attended the Opera Studio CNIPAL in Marseille from 1999 until 2001.
From 2001 until 2009, she was a soloist at the Leipzig Opera, performing roles such as Aspasia (Temistocle by J. C. Bach), Susanna, Pamina, Marzelline (Fidelio), Ännchen, Adina, Lisa (La Sonnambula), Gretel, Musetta, Micaela etc.
At the same time, she performed as a guest at the Glyndebourne
