Rafael Mar

Concert guitarist (composer/performer) and researcher. His current original work is situated within chamber instrumental music, encompassing both classical and popular traditions and strongly inspired by contemporary regional aesthetics. This facet complements his work as a performer, supported by a select repertoire of concert Flamenco Guitar, among other styles.

As a Flamenco guitarist, he earned a degree in Music with a specialization in Flamenco – Flamenco Guitar from the Conservatorio Superior de Música Rafael Orozco in Córdoba, Spain, the only state academic institution in the world to offer this specialization, admitting only fifteen candidates each year.

Still in Spain, in 2022 he completed a Master’s degree in Ethnomusicology, also focused on Flamenco, at ESMUC – Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya, in Barcelona. He is the only musician active in the Americas to hold both specializations.

In 2023, his master’s research was one of twelve works selected for presentation at “CIUTAT FLAMENCO – V Bienal Internacional de Flamencología y Pedagogía Flamenca” in Barcelona, one of the major events in the field. He represented the Americas as the only independent presenter based outside Europe to receive such an invitation. In 2025, he was invited to present the same research at the VII° ISMMS international conference in Seville, Spain.

He has worked professionally as a flamenco musician for almost three decades, performing as a soloist and Flamenco Guitar and classical/popular guitar interpreter, as well as collaborating with musical groups and dance companies in Brazil, France, Germany and Spain. He has also worked as an instructor at the Instituto Cervantes, and as a researcher, contributing to Flamencópolis, a website organized by the distinguished Spanish musicologist Faustino Núñez - who also signs his B.a final thesis as Supervisor.

His musical approach seeks a sober and intimate format in which his appreciation for high-performance solo instrumental music is evident, together with a strong concern for the quality, fidelity and natural purity of the instrument's sound. As a composer, he currently adapts the characteristics of the Flamenco Guitar to the expressive needs of his own work.

As a performer, his repertoire includes inspired interpretations of works by leading figures of Flamenco music such as Gerardo Núñez, Manolo Sanlúcar, Cañizares, Vicente Amigo, Paco Peña, Sabicas, Ramón Montoya, Niño Ricardo and Juan Ramón Caro.

He also completed studies in Jazz Combo/Big Band and Contemporary Music at the Conservatoire National de Région d'Amiens, France.

At École ATLA in Paris, he attended private lessons and workshops with Sylvain Luc, Romane, Claude Worms, Alain Faucher and Roland Dyens. Among other musicians and theorists with whom he studied are Gerardo Núñez, Manolo Sanlúcar, José Antonio Rodríguez, Emilio Maya, Miguel Ochando, Faustino Núñez, Félix Grande, Hubert Kappel, Badi Assad, Ferenc Snétberger and Costas Cotsiolis.

Adaptive

I believe that every student is a world of their own. My task is to “read” each student’s personality and learning needs as quickly as possible, so that I can adapt the content and approach to their individual needs and abilities.

My goal is to help each student become independent as quickly as possible, giving them the tools and understanding they need to eventually “walk on their own feet.”

Transversality

I believe there is no real musical knowledge without a full awareness of what we are playing — not only from a musical perspective, but also from its historical and social contexts.

Understanding the origins, traditions and cultural background of Flamenco gives the student a deeper connection with the music. This is an area where I can also provide valuable guidance.