Ireneu Segarra was born in 1917 in Catalonia, and came into contact with music at an early age. From 1927 to 1931 he was a member of the Escolania de Montserrat, which was under the direction of Anselm Ferrer and Angel Rodamilans at the time. Later, having himself become a monk at Montserrat and a priest in turn (1941), Ireneu Segarra studied harmony and counterpoint in Barcelona with Josep Barbera and Cristofor Taltabull, and also piano with Frank Marshall. In 1951 he then studied composition with Nadia Boulanger in Fontainebleau, France. Since 1953, he has been choirmaster and conductor at Montserrat. Here he worked out his singing method for boys, which he had published under the title ,,La voz del nino cantor" (CCC, San Sebastian). The book has also been translated into Italian and French.

Almost one hundred different works have been recorded under his direction in Montserrat.

With Ireneu Segarra as their leader, the Escolania de Montserrat also began to give concerts outside Spain, e.g. in Italy (Rome), Belgium, Austria (Salzburg) and in Switzerland (Einsiedeln); these events have been put on with the support of harmonia mundi.