[1] Maia Ciobanu was born in Bucharest and studied at the Conservatory Ciprian Porumbescu.
In 1980 she attended the Darmstadt summer courses, and studied composition with Brian Ferneyhough, Gérard Grisey, Wolfgang Rihm, Hans Peter Haller, Włodzimierz Kotoński, and Tristan Murail.
In 1993 she became a professor at the Caragiale National University of Theatre and Film, and has taught courses on contemporary Romanian music at music academies in Gothenburg (1995) and Cologne (1996), at the Pedagogical College of Rorschach (1997), and the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland (2000).
[3] Ciobanu won Honorable Mention at the "International Composition Contest – Mannheim GEDOK" in Germany (1981), the Romanian Academy "George Enescu Prize" (1998), the Romanian Composers' Association Prize (1999, 2022) and "The Order for Cultural Achievements" medal (2004).
Ciobanu is also active in publishing and produces music programs for Romanian radio.