After beginning saxophone at the age of 7 in the South of France and playing in several traditional music bands, Aurélien Mérial started studying in the Conservatoire of Perpignan in the class of Radek KNOP, where he obtained his Music Theory (theory, analysis and music history), Chamber music and Sight reading diplomas with honor in 2015 then, in 2016, his Saxophone « Diploma of Music Studies » with honor. In 2017, he continued his studies in « Perfectionnement » in the international class of Jean-Denis MICHAT in Lyon. He get his Perfectionnement Diploma with honor in 2018, and continue now his studies in Concert Master Degree in the class of Lars MLEKUSCH in the Zurich University of the Arts.
He was baritone saxophonist in the Saxopoliss quartet with whom he played during the 17th World Saxophone Congress in Strasbourg and won the 1st prize at the International Competition of Saxophone Ensemble in Huningue. He made the world premier of two pieces by Denis Dufour and Felix Lacquement during the Syntax International Festival in Perpignan, and is a member of the Cosmopolite Ensemble.
He plays with the National Orchestra of Lyon (Gershwin, The Artist Movie Soundtrack…) under Leonard SLATKIN and in other projects like operas with the Ensemble Justiniana, but also as soloist with the Chamber Music Orchestra of Perpignan.
In March 2017, he was laureate of the IVth International Saxophone Competition in Andorra, becoming the younger laureate in the history of the competition.
SAXOPHONE STUDIO LARS MLEKUSCH 