Jelka Mönch was born in Valdivia, Chile, in 1977. She was raised in a bicultural German-Chilean family. Her musical influences stem from the folklore and resistance song culture of both countries.

She received classical violin training at music school. In her youth, she played progressive hard rock and later added klezmer improvisation to her repertoire. She has performed at festivals and in jazz and world music projects for many years, including with Bazar Andalus, Nanigo and Trio RotherMonitorMönch.

For her, music is »at its best, silence set to music: the grace of experiencing the moment when music happens and people stop ›doing‹, when sound leads home«.