Born in Madrid, soprano Maria Rey-Joly studied violin and piano, and graduated first in her class with a degree in singing from the Escuela Superior de Canto in Madrid. She completed her training in masterclasses taught by Gundula Janowitz, Brigitte Fassbaender, Raina Kabaiwanska and Plácido Domingo. She was also a recipient of a grant from Verbier Academy in Switzerland. María Rey-Joly has won top awards in various international competitions, including First Prize at the Eighth Concurso Internacional Francisco Alonso.

She has given outstanding performances in opera houses in Trieste, Milan, Lucca, Rome, Madrid, Istanbul and Cairo, and has sung at major concert halls throughout Spain, in Switzerland and in Paris.