Meet Queralt Giralt Soler | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Queralt Giralt Soler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Queralt, how do you think about risk?
Taking risks is essential for personal growth, and I believe it’s especially important for creative people. I’ve been afraid of certain risks throughout my life, so one of my main focuses has been learning to tolerate the uncertainty and fear that come with risk-taking. As musicians, our lives are filled with situations that can be perceived as risky. It’s crucial to learn how to handle them—whether it’s improvising, composing something unconventional, or even just sharing our music. Each of these can feel risky, and it’s important to find a way to grow from that feeling. Ultimately, it’s valuable information that our body is giving us.

From a creative perspective, I believe that feeling a sense of risk can actually be a sign we’re getting closer to our true creative selves. Learning how to manage that feeling can help us, just as being too scared of it can stop us from fully developing our creativity. On a personal level, embracing these ideas and pushing my boundaries through improvisation and composing have already started to shift my creative process. I’ve noticed that when I embrace these risks, it opens up new possibilities and helps me grow as a musician. From my experience, becoming comfortable with risk is both the simplest and the hardest thing to achieve—it requires only one thing: taking risks.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a cellist whose work is enriched by blending multiple musical influences, crafting a sound that goes beyond traditional genre boundaries.

My musical journey began in a small town in Catalunya, where I started playing the cello at age 7. However, my first exposure to music came through singing, thanks to the strong choral tradition in my community. From an early age, it was clear that music was my passion, and throughout my childhood, I balanced my love for singing with classical cello training.

A crucial moment in my artistic development was when I first combined singing with playing the cello. This experience opened up new possibilities for me, and I started to explore the instrument in a more unconventional way and to branch out into different musical styles.

I pursued my undergraduate degree in Classical Music Performance and Music Education at ESMUC in Barcelona. Afterward, I moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music, further developing my personal approach to the cello by exploring a wider variety of musical genres, which brings me to where I am today.

Currently, I’m involved in various projects that draw influence from jazz, latin music, and other styles. Improvisation plays a central role in my work, and I often blend my cello playing with vocals. You can find me performing regularly with groups and artists like Devon Gates, Sol y Canto, and my new Jazz String Quartet.

In addition to performing, I am also an educator, teaching private lessons and leading workshops. This summer, I was the strings instructor at TEMA Festival, a modern music and jazz event in Avinyó, Spain.

Currently, I am focusing on composition as I work on a personal project that I plan to share next year. Through this project, I aim to combine all of my musical backgrounds to create honest music that not only resonates with audiences but also raises awareness of social issues, as I strongly believe in the healing power of music on both an individual and societal level.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Boston is a beautiful city with so much to offer! I hope these suggestions help you make the most of your time here:

One of my favorite parts about the city is how green and lush it is, so when I have visitors I love taking a BlueBike ride through the city’s parks. We usually start at Boston Common, ride through the Public Garden, then follow the Charles River along the Esplanade, and sometimes bike all the way to Harvard! During the summer, it’s the perfect time to stop by the beer garden on the Esplanade or catch a free concert at the Hatch Shell. I also highly recommend visiting the Harvard Arnold Arboretum, especially in the spring when the plants are in full bloom—it’s a peaceful and beautiful spot where you can walk, relax, and learn about flora from around the world.

As for food, one of my go-to spots is Pho Basil, right across from Berklee. The food is delicious, affordable, and they offer plenty of gluten-free options. I also love heading to Little Italy for some Mediterranean flavors, which always makes me feel a little closer to home. And, of course, no visit to Boston is complete without a lobster roll! As a half-foreigner, half-Bostonian, I can’t resist indulging in this local favorite.

Boston is a city alive with music! If you’re in town, be sure to check out some of the concerts happening around the city. As part of the Berklee community, I especially recommend keeping an eye out for Berklee performances—whether it’s the Summer in the City series, shows at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC), or intimate gigs at Red Room @ Cafe 939. You might even catch me performing at one of them!

Lastly, if you’re visiting during whale season, I can’t recommend a whale-watching cruise enough. It’s truly a breathtaking experience—seeing these magnificent creatures up close while learning about their behavior and habitat is unforgettable.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate this to one of my mentors, Marta Roma. She’s a cellist, singer, composer, and educator from Catalunya, and as a pioneer of non-classical string playing in Spain, she has inspired many young musicians like me. Watching her play and sing was the moment I realized that the things I had been experimenting with at home could actually be a professional path. At the time, I was focused on being a classical cellist. Since then, she has helped me reach new goals, and I’ve found myself following a path similar to hers. I am deeply grateful for the cello community she has nurtured at home and for her ongoing support toward me and my career over the years.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queraltgiralt/?hl=en (@queraltgiralt)

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzgRRJoncZYjog8AqhElR2w (@queraltgiralt)

Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KgLoYWBZ3w

Image Credits
Marina Conill @marinaconillfotografia
Hannah Osofsky, @hannahosof
Kelly Davidson, @kdstudio
Dave Green, @davegreenphoto
Antonio Pérez-Coca, @astrofonda