Emilio De Mercato

Emilio De Mercato’s admiration for music and the eventual composing of it began as a young boy growing up in Varese, Italy. Watching his mother move her struggling plants near the piano to nurse them back to life with music is the seed that sprouted an unwavering belief that music has a transformative power. He came to believe that not only is music an outlet for love, sadness and personal expression, but it also has the ability to heal.

Being introduced to the piano at a young age by his mother was the spark that quickly fueled a lifelong passion. For De Mercato, music is more than the high or low frequencies you hear, more than the notes you play, and the lyrics you sing; rather, it’s a universal language that unites people from across the globe, centuries apart, rooted in intense emotion.

“All my life is music,” he says; an understatement when it comes to his devotion to classical music, in particular. After earning a master’s degree in piano and composition in Italy and moving to Canada in 2012, De Mercato founded the Alberta Symphony Orchestra along with other associations including the Art of Sounds Music Association. Serving as the music director for the Alberta Symphony Orchestra is a point of pride, but as a lifelong musician himself, De Mercato also takes pride in his history of employing and fairly compensating other musicians. He hopes this will contribute to keeping classical music alive in Alberta. 

The impact of De Mercato’s dedication to classical music is visible through his experience teaching at post-secondary continued education programs across the province. He has also offered private lessons for budding pianists in his own studio in Edmonton. Having taught classes at universities (including the Universities of Calgary and Edmonton), De Mercato founded the Alberta Symphony Orchestra with aspirations of introducing and championing classical music to urban and rural communities throughout Alberta. He hopes to foster the same musical healing his mother’s plants experienced and encourage new fans of classical pianists from past and present times. 

This fall, he will be slowly withdrawing from his role as a private teacher in order to focus his efforts on his May 9th debut at the Weill Recital Hall located inside the historic Carnegie Hall in New York City. De Mercato is set to perform Liszt’s “Après une lecture du Dante” in a performance hall reserved for generational performers. The magnitude of performing at the Weill Recital Hall, considered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for musicians, is not lost on him. While he officially confirmed the performance earlier in the year, it has only now “started to feel real” for the concert pianist. There may be a twinge of nervousness now, but come May 9th, his performance will be a confident one, he says. “I’ve been starving for this.” 

De Mercato’s young son is now learning how to play piano, something that delights the concert pianist. “There is no pressure on him; I want him to explore everything,” Emilio De Mercato says, and yes, that includes the love and the sadness, and all that comes with it.