Born in Austria, Valentin Erben studied cello with Paul Freidel, Walter Reichardt and Tobias Kühne. In 1963, he attended a masterclass in Siena where he met his future mentor and pedagogue, French cellist André Navarra.
Winner of the 1968 ARD International Cello Competition in Munich, he returned to Vienna in 1969 and co-founded the world famous Alban Berg Quartet and remained its cellist ever since. Member of the Lucern Festival Orchestra under the direction of Claudio Abbado from 2004-07, in 2013, Valentin Erben has taught at the University of Music in Vienna for more than 40 years.
With a busy schedule of concerts as a soloist and chamber musician, Mr. Erben also gives musical lectures and masterclasses worldwide and is known for his numerous collaborations with composers, singers and dancers.