Rafael Esparrell

Rafael Esparrell began studying the clarinet at the age of eight with his father. At thirteen, he was admitted to the Escola Municipal de Música de São Paulo (EMM), where he graduated under the guidance of Professors Otinilo Pacheco and Daniel Cornejo.

He has participated in several festivals and studied with renowned professors such as Sérgio Burgani, Luis Afonso “Montanha,” Ovanir Buosi, Laura Ruiz Ferreres, Michael Collins, Anthony McGill, François Benda, Vitor Fernandes, Jöe Christophe, Jörg Widmann, Sergio Pires, and Michel Lethiec.

In 2021, Rafael Esparrell was awarded the Cultura Artística Scholarship. He has received several prizes, including the Jovens Solistas FIMUCA, the InMusic Clarinet Competition, an Honorable Mention and Third Prize at the Silverstein Clarinet Competition, the Carlos Rieiro Clarinet Competition, and the Ernani Almeida Machado Prize of the São Paulo State Youth Orchestra in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, he received the main award of the same competition, the Ernani Almeida Machado Meyer Prize. Rafael Esparrell also won the Prêmio Eleazar de Carvalho at the Campos do Jordão International Winter Festival.

He was invited to participate in the Eurochestries Festival in France, where he appeared as a soloist with the orchestra and performed with the Interwinds Wind Quintet. Rafael Esparrell also attended masterclasses at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival with Professor François Benda.

Since 2025, he has been a member of the wind quintet Ethos Ensemble. As a soloist, Rafael Esparrell has performed with orchestras such as the São Paulo State Youth Orchestra and the Recife Symphony Orchestra, performing concertos by Copland, Nielsen, and Weber.

Recently, he was selected to join the academy program of the Sinfonieorchester Basel for the 2026/2027 season. Rafael Esparrell is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the Musik Akademie Basel with Professor François Benda.