Biography

Rouzbeh Rafie is a composer originally from Iran, now based in the Netherlands. His work draws inspiration from a wide range of sources, including literature and folk music. Rafie’s compositions explore the intricate nature of memory, engaging with concepts such as archetypes, remembrance, and the perception of time. His sound aims to be both ancient and contemporary, resonating across different eras.

Rafie uses the metaphor of the Harmony of the Spheres to symbolize the hidden order within apparent chaos. His music seeks to be inspired by these timeless patterns and universal structures. In contrast to one of the main agendas of our time—experimentalism, with its inherent playfulness—Rafie’s approach rejects this trend in favor of a deeper exploration of harmony and coherence.

Education:

He obtained formal musical instruction at the Tehran University of Art with Sharif Lotfi and Kiawasch SahebNassagh. In 2011, he relocated to Rome for further studies under Rosario Mirigliano at Rome Conservatory of Santa Cecilia, before going on in 2015 to study at the National Academy of Santa Cecilia beneath Ivan Fedele from where he eventually graduated in 2018 having attained top marks. He has also taken part in masterclasses ran by Salvatore Sciarrino (2014-2015 Respighi Conservatory), Tolibkhon Shakhidi, Khayyam Mirzazadeh, Tuivo Tulev (2014) and Giacomo Manzoni (2017).

Music:

His music has been heard around the world through concerts and festivals: Parco Della Musica (Rome), Accademia Chigiana summer festival, Nuova Consonanza Festival (Rome), Musica Nova festival (Helsinki), Rome Philharmonic (Sala Casella), Solti hall (Budapest), Roudaki Hall (Tehran), Stockholm Konserthuset, Festival Contrasti (Trento) Dumke recital hall (Salt Lake City, Utah), Mar del Plata Philharmonic (Argentina), New Music Miami Festival, Sala Academica (Rome), Austrian cultural forum (Rome), Collège franco-britannique (Paris) Prague microfest, Finland Kokonainen-Musequal Festival and Naples Dissonanzen Festival.

In 2021 after being chosen as a winner of Kokonainen-Musequal composition competition he has been nominated as "Composer in Residence" at Musequal (Finland) from 2022 to 2024.

In 2024 he was appointed as composer in residence at Bach&now! music festival in Germany (Agathenburg)

Performers:

Ensembles:

Ensemble Contemporanea di Parco Della Musica (ECPM) conducted by Tonino Battista. Ensemble 900 conducted by Carlo Rizzari.

Trio 3:0. Ensemble Imago Sonora. Ensemble Nivak. MP Saxophone Quartet. Ensemble Moto Contrario. Sonar trio. Ensemble Aural. Kokonainen-Musequal Strings Ensemble, NEMA Ensemble.

Clarinet: Paolo Ravaglia, Daniele Dian, Guillaume Labussiere.

Flute: Bianca Fiorito, Ginevra Petrucci, Sara Minelli, Rebecca Taio, Kelariz Keshavarz, Laura Bersani, Joséphine Olech.

Saxophone: Emanuele Dalmaso

Violin: Patricia Ibáñez, Silvia Mandolini, Rebecca Raimondi, Giorgiana Strazullo, Michela Marchiana, Piercarlo Sacco, Linda Suolahti.

Viola: Mari Viluksela

Cello: Kati Raitinen, Anni Kallioniemi.

Guitar: Jacopo Lazzaretti, Petri Kumela, Andrii Brahin

Piano: Tiina Karakorpi, Alexandra Sostmann

Voice : Anousha Nazari, Ali Doostdar, Meeri Pulakka

Conductors: Daniele Moroni, Tonino Battista, Carlo Rizzari, Cosimo Abbate.

theatrical productions as a composer: Corinna Lenneis and Éva Patkó.

Awards and recognitions:

- Winner of "Adriana Giannuzzi" study prize - Rome Conservatoire 2013

- Second prize of “G.Petrassi” composition competition (3rd. edition) for solo guitar, Rome 2014

- Winner of «Ennio Porrino» International Composition Competition- Monte Argentario, Italy, 2020

- First prize of Musequal composition competition, Finland, Helsinki February 2021

- Distinction per category (Instruments and electronics) Prix CIME 2023 for Karân.

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