Ulrike Goldbeck was born in Bielefeld.

She studied piano with Friedrich-Wilhelm Schnurr at the Detmold University of Music and with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling at the University of Music and Drama Hannover. Chamber music and song accompaniment were her special interests from an early age, in addition to her solo studies. In 1978 she was a prizewinner of the German Music Council and was accepted into the 22nd National Selection of Concerts of Young Artists together with Wolfgang Meyer (clarinet) and Christoph Poppen (violin). Since then she has performed with renowned ensembles and duo partners.

Working with talented young pianists of school age is another professional focus.

Since 1988 she has been teaching at the University of Music Würzburg as a full-time instrumental repetiteur and piano lecturer in early music education.