Marcos Merino is a lecturer in music education at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Spain). He holds a PhD in Education (cum laude) from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, a Master's degree in Jazz Performance from the University of North Texas, and a Bachelor's degree in Jazz and Modern Music Performance from the Conservatori del Liceu.

His research activity centers on popular music pedagogies, informal learning practices, and the role of improvisation in the training of music teachers and professional musicians. In his academic career, he has taught at several higher education institutions, including the Universidad de las Américas (Quito), the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Málaga, TAI Arts, and Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio. Internationally, he has led teaching activities and collaborations at the Royal Academy of Music (Denmark), Concordia University (Montreal), Cal State University (Los Angeles), and the Conservatorio di Musica G. B. Martini (Bologna), including Erasmus+ exchanges across Europe.

Alongside his academic work, he maintains an active career as a pianist and composer. He leads the jazz quintet World Citizen Band, and the progressive rock project Trivial. His discography includes View of Tomorrow (2019), Infinite Irrelevance (2023), Antares (2023), and Motion (2025). He has performed at major jazz festivals and clubs across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the USA