Curriculum

Ionas Mercadal Euler was born in 2003 in Sant Cugat del Vallès into a family with a long musical tradition. He received his first clarinet lessons at the age of 6 from his father Juanjo Mercadal and then he continued studies at the music school Fusió de Sant Cugat. In the winter term of 2014-2015 he started his professional studies at the Conservatori de Sant Cugat with Professor Clara Font. In the summer of 2019 he completed his studies of the clarinet in "Grado professional” and graduated from the Conservatory of Sant Cugat del Vallès. In 2019/20 and 20/21 Ionas studied as a junior student at the ESMUC (Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya) with Professor Josep Fuster. Since October 2021 he is studying at the Leopold Mozart College of the University of Augsburg with Prof. Harald Harrer. This university class also includes regular lessons with Manfred Preis (former bass clarinetist of the Berlin Philharmonic) and David Schöndorfer (Munich Symphony).

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Since 2010, as a student of the German School in Barcelona (Abitur - High School Graduation 2021), Ionas regularly participated in the "Jugend musiziert" competition, receiving numerous first prizes on the national level (Spain/Portugal) as a soloist and in the category duo (clarinet and piano). In 2018 and 2021 he won 2nd prize in the Bundeswettbewerb in Germany (Lübeck and Bremen) in the category solo clarinet, and in 2019 he was also a prize winner in the category duo (clarinet and piano) in Halle. In January 2020, at the age of 17, he won the 1st prize in the "International Mozart Competition" in Tbilisi (Georgia) in the 17-20 year rating. It was the only first prize in the wind instruments category.  In August 2020 he was awarded the "Assoluto Prize" of the competition "Internationaler Wettbewerb Musikalisches Feuerwerk Baden-Württemberg" in Karlsruhe (Germany), in November 2020 he was awarded the “First Prize” in the International Music Festival-Competition “Stars at Tenerife” (Canarias/Spain), in January 2021 he won the 3rd prize in the “Junior” category of the “1st International Online Clarinet Competition ‘Guy Deplus’, Gran Canaria”, in February 2021 he won the “First Prize” in "XII Savshinsky International Music Competition Saint Petersburg", Russia, in July 2021 he won the "First Prize" in "VIII Stockholm International Music Competition", Sweden, and in September 2022 he was laureate of First Prize and Special Diploma for the most artistic Сontestant of the 9th International Music Competition "Heirs of Orpheus" in Bulgaria. In January 2023, Ionas was selected for the CAREER PROJECT of the Tiziano Rossetti Academy in Switzerland, and in February of the same year he won First Prize at the 2nd International Online Music Competition in Lugano (Switzerland). In December 2023 he was awarded the "Grand Award" (the candidate who received the highest mark over all categories), two "Platinum Prizes" (Virtuoso and Woodwind categories) and the "Technical Mastery Special Award" at the "Universal Stars Music Competition". In the same month he also received a Competition Winner Platinum Prize (Wind instr., age 18-21) in the World Classical Music Awards. In April 2024 he was awarded third prize at the "Music International Grand Prix" in New York (Wind/Brass Adult category), on the same day he also received the second prize with Trio Somni (Ensemble category).

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Ionas regularly attends international masterclasses, in Germany with professors Harald Harrer and Norbert Kaiser, in Portugal with António Saiote, in Spain with Dmitry Rasul-Kareyev and Josep Fuster and in Austria with Sebastian Hayn. 

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He has a considerable concert experience both as a soloist and as a chamber musician. The last concerts as a soloist together with his father Juanjo and the orchestras in Sant Cugat and Niš (Serbia) were televised and highly acclaimed. He is a founding member of the Trio Somni (violin, clarinet, piano), with which he won first prizes in international competitions in Karlsruhe, Stockholm, Albena (Bulgaria) and Tenerife in 2022, and in New York in 2024. He was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Catalonia and at the age of 18 he was invited to work as a substitute in the symphony orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona Opera House). Since then he has worked in several productions. His successes have been highly praised by the press in Germany. In April 2018 "Süddeutsche Zeitung" wrote: "The clarinet-Mephisto, who truly took the audience's breath away and received a thunderous ovation." And Josep Pons, Musical Director of the "Gran Teatre del Liceu" in Barcelona and Honorary Director of the "Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España (Madrid)" wrote about Ionas: ..."A few weeks ago, Ionas collaborated with the orchestra of the "Gran Teatre del Liceu" in a seasonal concert, playing Gustav Mahler's third symphony in the role of a second clarinet, under my direction. I have to say, honestly, that it has caught my attention to have found myself in front of a musician and clarinetist not only excellent, but considering his youth, even exceptional...".

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Ionas is considered an exceptional talent not only due to his technical abilities but also because of his musical maturity.

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For German, Catalan and Spanish languages see also: www.trio-somni.com/about-us