Biography

Laura Rafecas (Vilafranca del Penedès, 7th of January 1989) begins her music studies in Vilafranca at the age of 7, combining them a few years later with private lessons with Mr. Evelio Tieles.

She is admitted at the age of 14 at Conservatori Superior del Liceu (Barcelona), where she studies under the supervision of Evelio Tieles, and graduates in the Bachelor in Music at the age of 18 years old.

Rotterdam (The Netherlands)

In 2007 Laura is admitted at Codarts, Hogeschool voor de Kunsten where she studies with Christiaan Bor (2007/08) and Benzion Shamir (since 2008), graduating in  her Bachelor in Music Diploma at the age of 20 years old and in June 2011 graduating with a 9.0 in the Performance Master, being given an excellent review of her interpretation and level from all of the committee members, remarking her expressivity and sensitivity, which brought one of the members (Mrs. Vesna Gruppmann) into tears. In this Final Recital the repertoire was Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata (on which Laura based her Artistic Research) and Richard Strauss’ Violin and Piano Sonata.

Concerts (Violin and Piano)

Since she’s 14 years old, Laura has performed in auditions and concerts, especially in violin and piano duo formation, in different stages around Catalonia and the Netherlands. Some of them:

  • Concert op de Deel (Holten)
  • Maastricht; Theater aan het Vrijthof (soloist with LSJO Amikejo)
  • Casa Canals (Tarragona); celebration of UNESCO.
  • De Magistraat (Rotterdam); several times
  • Spui Kerk (Strijen)
  • Pelgrimvaderskerk (Rotterdam); Kamermuziek Festival
  • Walters Vioolbouwer (Rotterdam); several times
  • Dorpskerk, (Spijkenisse); several times
  • Oude Kerk, Zoetermeer
  • WORM (with Cuarteto Lorca)
  • VIRUS (radio program, with Cuarteto Lorca)
  • Codarts
  • Casa Elizalde (Barcelona)
  • Casal del Metge (Barcelona)
  • Bruc Conservatoire
  • Cercle del Liceu (Barcelona)
  • Acadèmia de Belles Arts (Sabadell)
  • Societat el Círcol (Reus)
  • Cal Bolet (Vilafranca)
  • Sant Francesc and Santa Maria churches (Vilafranca)
  • Church of Pla del Penedès
  • Sant Pere Molanta
  • Can Rossell de la Serra
  • several parks in Barcelona: La Tamarita, Diagonal Mar, Turó Park, Ca n’Altimira.
  • Museu del Vi (Vilafranca)

Other achievements

Contests:

  • November 2002,: 3rd prize in “Concurs d’Interpretació Musical Vila de Salou” (B serie).
  • November 2004: 3r “ex-aequo” prize, in “Concurs d’Interpretació Musical Vila de Salou” (A serie).
  • 2005: 1st prize in the cateory Violin and Piano duo at the  “XIIth Castellterçol Chamber Music Competition” (B serie).
  • 2005: Violinist Laura Rafecas is selected by the gouvernment of Catalonia to offer many chamber music concerts (violin and piano) in different places in Barcelona during a summer.

Orchestral experience: Laura has been a member of OEMUC – “Catalonia’s Music Schools Orchestra” (2000-03) and JONC – “Catalonia’s National Young Orchestra” (2003-07) with whom she performed at the main Catalonian stages. She was also invited in a project of Britten-Pears Orchestra (England), and was concert master of Liceu Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra in 2005.

Participation in professional orchestras:

  • Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès
  • Orquestra de Cambra de Vilafranca (Vilafranca Chamber Music Orchestra)
  • Orquestra Eduard Toldrà de Vilanova
  • Jove Orquestra de Vilafranca (with whom she played as a soloist Bach concerto in A minor).

Since 2007 Laura Rafecas is a member of Codarts Symphony Orchestra, performing mainly in De Doelen and Middelburg.

Conductors:

  • Yannick Nézet-Seguin
  • Lutz Köhler
  • Arie van Beek
  • Hans Leenders
  • Henk Guittart
  • Guerassim Voronkov
  • Josep Pons
  • Salvador Mas
  • Lutz Köhler
  • K. A. Rickenbacker
  • Manel Valdivieso
  • Edmon Colomer