Born in West Sussex, England, Van der Heijden is the youngest daughter of a Dutch father and Swiss mother.
She was also the 2011 winner of the Marjorie Humby competition at the Royal College of Music and was awarded the 2012 Director's Prize at RCM Junior Department.
[5] On 18 February 2022, she released her latest album Pohádka: Tales From Prague To Budapest with the pianist Jâms Coleman, on the Chandos Label.
[6] Her most recent recording included the world premiere of Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s '‘Earth, Sea, Air'’ in 2023 with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
[7] Laura subsequently took to the stage of the Royal Albert Hall with the orchestra and conductor Ryan Wigglesworth to perform the work at the BBC Proms in 2024.