Siegrid Ernst, born in Ludwigshafen on March 3, 1929, received her training as a pianist from August Leopolder in Frankfurt and Richard Hauser in Vienna. She studied composition with Gerhard Frommel (1906-1984) in Heidelberg. Participation in the International Summer Courses for New Music in Darmstadt and seminars with Ligeti and Xenakis, among others, followed. She performed frequently as a soloist and in chamber music ensembles and formed a piano duo with Konrad Meister, her future husband.

She was a co-founder of the International Working Group Women and Music, which she chaired from 1980 to 1993. For her dedicated work there and in other institutions such as the German Music Council, the German Composers' Association and GEDOK, she was awarded the title of professor h.c. by the Florida-based Interamerican University of Humanistic Studies and the honorary diploma with gold medal by the Istituto Europeo di Cultura in Milan. She created orchestral works, including Variations for large orchestra (1965); 3 pieces (1984);

Recitativo appassionato e salto for string orchestra (1985); Triade for chamber orchestra (1994); and Peace now (1997). Song cycles and cantatas including 7 miniatures after Japanese haiku for low voice, viola, violoncello and piano (1961); Kleine Hand in meiner Hand - 12 songs for soprano and piano (1966); Wohin for 3 groups (1972); Noch sind alle Wege offen - oratorio for choral groups,

3 soloists, winds and organ (1996). Chamber music pieces in her oeuvre are:

Quattro mani dentro e fuori for 2 players on a grand piano on keys and strings (1975) as well as E ... staremo freschi! for tenor saxophone solo (1992); Cleavage for piano and electronics (1998); Concertantes Duo for recorders and percussion (1991). She wrote some musical works for children and came to prominence in 1990 with the successful children's opera Jaga and the Little Man with the Flute.

She died in Bremen on March 20, 2022.