PAGDIRIWANG PHILIPPINE FESTIVAL 2024
Rafael Ronquillo
Classical Guitarist
June 4, 2022 l 1:15 PM
Classical guitarist, Rafael Ronquillo, completed his master’s degree: Máster Oficial en Enseñanzas Artísticas: Interpretación e Investigación de la Música from the Conservatorio Superior de Música “Óscar Esplá” in Alicante, Spain where he studied under Prof. Ignacio Rodes. In the same year, he was also a student in Música en Compostela in Santiago de Compostela, Spain where he was taught by Prof. Jose Luis Rodrigo. He completed his bachelor's degree from the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music in Manila and received guitar instructions under Professor Ruben Reyes – a mentor whom he considers his major influence in music.
As an ensemble guitarist, Raffy participated in the major concerts of the UST Guitar Ensemble. The ensemble performed in guitar festivals in Manila held in well-known venues, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Philam Life Auditorium, also in the Summer Music Camps held by UST in the different provinces of the Philippines. He also performed in the Theatre Arniches and the ADDA (Auditorio de la Dipucatión de Alicante) in Spain. Currently, he is a member of the Silangan Chamber Guitar Ensemble which performs in and out of Metro Manila.
As a soloist, he gave several concerts in Alicante, Spain, including the Spanish Premiere of the Batang Laro Suite for Guitar by Bayani Mendoza De leon. Raffy had been concertizing in different countries in the past years, these include the United States, Taiwan, and Malaysia. In the Philippines, he performs in various events and venues including the Manila Guitar Festival 2016, Manila Guitar Festival 2019 and Konsierto sa Kartilya 2019, where he conducted the PLM Guitar Ensemble, and Una Noche de Cuerdas where he performed Ferdinando Carulli’s Concerto in A Major with the Silangan Chamber Guitar Ensemble. Other than concerts, he also appeared in radio programs such as En Versió Original by the UMH Radio and Utopía Bohemia by Radio Mutant 99.9 FM in Spain, and the Maestro Filipino by 98.7 DZFEFM The Master's Touch.
Raffy was featured in the Opening Concert of the International Scientific Congress of Private Law of the Philippines & Spain (2016) and "Hapag at Himig: A Night of Banquet and Beautiful Music" Philippine Psychiatric Association Presidential Gala Night (2018). He is currently a faculty member of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila Department of Music under the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music. He occasionally gives master classes in different conservatories in Manila and currently aims to further build his career as a concert artist and promote Philippine music in different countries in the coming years
