Nicola Hartwig was born in Neustadt an der Weinstraße and received her first clarinet lessons at the age of 7 with Kurt Siebein. Later she switched first to Johannes Moog and then to Gerhard Kraßnitzer (both Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz).

After inspiring experiences in state youth ensembles in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, she developed the desire to turn her hobby into a profession, so that Nicola began to study clarinet with Prof. Manfred Lindner after her Abitur - initially at the Folkwang Hochschule Essen, and then, up to her diploma, at the University of Music Würzburg.

In addition to orchestral music, chamber music has always played an important role in Nicola's life, especially during her years as a scholarship holder of the "Villa Musica".

After a temporary engagement at the Staatstheater Mainz, Nicola Hartwig became principal clarinetist of the Munich Symphony Orchestra at the age of 22.