Monique Heidema studied with Monique Bartels at the Sweelinck Conservatory (now the Conservatorium van Amsterdam) and the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. She took masterclasses with musicians such as William Pleeth, Dmitry Ferschtman, Gerhard Mantel, Ivan Monighetti, Colin Carr, Anner Bijlsma and Mstislav Rostropovich.

Monique Heidema performs a widely varied chamber music repertoire, giving concerts at home and abroad. She was a member Cello8tet Amsterdam, a piano quintet and the Doelenensemble, an ensemble which focuses on contemporary classical music. The Dutch composer Peter Jan Wagemans dedicated the composition Frage: worauf hoffen, a work for two cellos, to Monique. She also played in the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra for many years and performed as a soloist with various orchestras. Currently she plays with André Telderman in a cello-piano duo and is a member of Indigo Piano Quartet. Additionally, she is a much sought-after continuo player.

Monique is a principal subject teacher of cello at the Fontys Conservatorium in Tilburg and the Sweelinck Academy of the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.