BIOGRAPHY

Rafael Mendez, hailing from Barahona, Dominican Republic, is a skilled flute player whose musical journey is marked by dedication and notable achievements. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Flute Performance from the Frost School of Music in Miami, Florida, in Spring 2024, under the mentorship of Jennifer Grim, and is about to commence his Master’s in Flute Performance at the Yale School of Music under the guidance of Tara O'Connor. His formal education also includes studies at the Conservatorio Nacional De Música in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, under the tutelage of Alaima Gonzalez completed in 2020. Rafael has enhanced his skills through master classes and lessons with esteemed flutists like Silvia Careddu, Helene Boulege, Nicola Mazzanti, Ramson Wilson, Robert Winn, Trudy Cane, Robert Langevin, Lorna McGee, and Lady Jeanne Galway, among others.

Rafael's talent has garnered significant recognition. He has received the Burkart Resona Piccolo Award and the Gemeinhardt Galway Crusader Silver Flute award at the Galway Flute Festival in 2022 and 2019 respectively, 1st prize in the Young Professional Category at the Young Musician of the Caribbean Award 2022, 1st prize in the Florida Flute Association College Young Artist Competition, 2022, and third prize in the Mary Hilem Taylor Competition Scholarship. His performance portfolio boasts engagements with prestigious ensembles such as the Miami Music Festival Orchestra, Opera Naples, The Last Hundred Ensemble for new music, India Youth Orchestra and Chorus, and various orchestras in the Dominican Republic, including the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional. Noteworthy performances include his rendition of Debussy’s Trio for flute, viola, and harp alongside members of the Palm Beach Symphony, concerts with world-class artist Pinchas Zukerman with the Frost Symphony Orchestra in an all-Mozart program, and participation in international festivals such as the Oxford Summer Flute School, Young Euro Classic Berlin, Festival Napa Valley, and the Galway Flute Festival.