Born at Madrid 1963, she studied Piano and Composition at the Madrid Music Conservatoire. She has been also a pupil of Malcolm Singer, a main figure in her development like composer. She premiered her first works at the 90s in England, Wien and USA, and since 1999 in Spain for the more significant Festivals and Institutions. She has been involved also in piano performing, teaching, and researching. She teaches since 1990 Harmony at Madrid Conservatory. She has worked like pianist and composer at Grupo Secuencia, exploring theatrical and sociological aspects of musical performance. She has made researches on African Music, so travelled to Senegal in 1996 to study percussion. In 1997 she graduated in Philosophy. At the 2000s she has worked for Radio Nacional de España, and was President of Spanish Women in Music Society. Nowadays Mercedes Zavala is in charge of the Composition Department at Madrid Conservatorio Teresa Berganza and now she is working in several projects for 2014 including commissions in Denmark, Italy, Spain and USA. Between her near 80 works, there is chamber and orchestral music, pedagogical works, an intermittent attention to musical theatre, and a persistent influence of literature.