Flamenco Guitarist. Composer.
Producer. Educator
As it's never been heard before. Tradition & Innovation
'Plays with the soul of a gypsy'. El País, Spain
'Plays with the soul of a gypsy'. El País, Spain
The Deaf Musician. A New Musical Life
After facing the prospect of permanent deafness and reclaiming his hearing through life-changing surgery, Rafael returns with renewed purpose, bold new compositions and an electrifying artistic vision. Rafael was diagnosed with otosclerosis, a rare condition that causes progressive hearing loss.
As his hearing declined in both ears, the effects reached far beyond music: communication became difficult, performing became impossible, and he was forced to step away from professional life on stage. Facing the reality of lifelong deafness, Rafael found hope in a groundbreaking procedure and underwent surgery on both ears: an operation that replaces the stapes, the smallest bone in the human body with a tiny prosthetic implant.
The result was transformative. Rafael describes the return of sound as ‘being permanently in a dark room and suddenly having all the lights switched on’. After years of silence and limitation, he could hear again, not only sounds, but the detail, emotion and colour of music that had shaped his entire life.
It was an intensely emotional journey, one that deepened his relationship with sound and strengthened his determination to create. His return to composition and performance is therefore more than a new chapter:
it is a rebirth.
Out of silence comes new energy. Out of recovery comes a new sound.
After facing the prospect of permanent deafness and reclaiming his hearing through life-changing surgery, Rafael returns with renewed purpose, bold new compositions and an electrifying artistic vision. Rafael was diagnosed with otosclerosis, a rare condition that causes progressive hearing loss.
As his hearing declined in both ears, the effects reached far beyond music: communication became difficult, performing became impossible, and he was forced to step away from professional life on stage. Facing the reality of lifelong deafness, Rafael found hope in a groundbreaking procedure and underwent surgery on both ears: an operation that replaces the stapes, the smallest bone in the human body with a tiny prosthetic implant.
The result was transformative. Rafael describes the return of sound as ‘being permanently in a dark room and suddenly having all the lights switched on’. After years of silence and limitation, he could hear again, not only sounds, but the detail, emotion and colour of music that had shaped his entire life.
It was an intensely emotional journey, one that deepened his relationship with sound and strengthened his determination to create. His return to composition and performance is therefore more than a new chapter:
it is a rebirth.
Out of silence comes new energy. Out of recovery comes a new sound.
Flamenco meets Classical
'A symphonic guitar classic of the future'
Review from the composer of two Harry Potter films:
'That was beautiful! Understated, without any clutter of unnecessary invention, it meant that every note you played with such beautiful tone had feeling and so the result was a very moving piece of music. More please!!!'
(Nicholas Hooper Composer - BAFTA awards, Ivor Novello award and Grammy nominated)
'That was beautiful! Understated, without any clutter of unnecessary invention, it meant that every note you played with such beautiful tone had feeling and so the result was a very moving piece of music. More please!!!'
(Nicholas Hooper Composer - BAFTA awards, Ivor Novello award and Grammy nominated)
Flamenco meets Electro
M21 intricate rhythms and harmonies of ethnic gypsy flamenco. Lush, textured sounds of '80s electronica.
A genre-defying innovation : Electro Flamenco.
Inspired not only by the legendary maestro and innovator Paco de Lucia but also by ground breaking acts like Visage, Ultravox, Kraftwerk or Vince Clark. Rafael has reimagined flamenco guitar, not through strings, but through synthesis.
'Beautiful musicianship mixed with a great concept. You managed to keep your flamenco duende whilst honouring ancient electronica. I knew it was going to be good'. (Nitin Sawhney - multiple international award winning musician and composer).
A genre-defying innovation : Electro Flamenco.
Inspired not only by the legendary maestro and innovator Paco de Lucia but also by ground breaking acts like Visage, Ultravox, Kraftwerk or Vince Clark. Rafael has reimagined flamenco guitar, not through strings, but through synthesis.
'Beautiful musicianship mixed with a great concept. You managed to keep your flamenco duende whilst honouring ancient electronica. I knew it was going to be good'. (Nitin Sawhney - multiple international award winning musician and composer).
Flamenco Dance
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Contemporary flamenco dance and music with Rafael Lloyd Iglesias and Estevez | Paños y Cia dance company, award-winning dancers and choreographers.
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Rafael's lifelong journey in the flamenco world is a testament to his dedication. With his music, he keeps the tradition, rhythm and dance alive in this passionate art form.
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The Maestro - The mastery of the solo flamenco guitar
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View my Youtube here : http://www.youtube.com/@flamencoguitarist
Composer. Film & TV. Session Musician.
Podcasts. sonic branding
Rafael’s journey as a flamenco artist has transcended traditional boundaries and his distinctive flamenco voice has reached far beyond the concert stage. As a composer and recording artist, he has created music for documentaries, films, television, podcasts and advertising. Collaborations with BAFTA Award-winning producers and leading figures in the international entertainment industry.
Credits include:
BBC 2 Natural World with Michael Portillo
Mad Dogs Sky TV with Martin Phipps
Sherlock Holmes with Patrick Gowers
Freefonix with Magnus Fiennes
Aliqua album with Dru Masters
Duende with SSL and Peter Gabriel
Midsomer Murders ITV appearance
Travelocity with Alan Whicker
RIK1 TV Cyprus featuring on ‘Saturday Night’
BBC Radio
RTVE + RNE
The Oxford Channel
London Business School
London School of Economics
Credits include:
BBC 2 Natural World with Michael Portillo
Mad Dogs Sky TV with Martin Phipps
Sherlock Holmes with Patrick Gowers
Freefonix with Magnus Fiennes
Aliqua album with Dru Masters
Duende with SSL and Peter Gabriel
Midsomer Murders ITV appearance
Travelocity with Alan Whicker
RIK1 TV Cyprus featuring on ‘Saturday Night’
BBC Radio
RTVE + RNE
The Oxford Channel
London Business School
London School of Economics
Click on photos to view
Collaboration & Creative Projects.
Inspirations
Rafael works across musical boundaries and welcomes collaborations with artists from flamenco, classical, rock, pop, jazz, electronic and world music. His projects have included music inspired by visual art and nature, bespoke compositions for exhibitions, dance and theatre, and original productions combining acoustic instruments, electronic sound and experimental techniques.
Click on photos to view
- Duende. Best selling book dedicated to Rafael “For Rafa, and the duende moments spent with him that inspired me”
- Credited with thanks on Radiohead’s acclaimed album In Rainbows
- Recorded with Grace Jones on 'Flores' track
- In concert with celebrated guitarist Xue Fei Yang
- To Rafael Lloyd Iglesias, I owe a debt that will grow larger for the rest of my life : he introduced me to flamenco, and my world was irrevocably changed. Dedication - doctoral thesis at Oxford University. Professor of Algorithmic and Microbial Genomics.
- Short documentary for Spanish TV with EOB (Ed O'Brien from Radiohead) and Nick Hooper (Harry Potter music composer). Click here
- Credited with thanks on Radiohead’s acclaimed album In Rainbows
- Recorded with Grace Jones on 'Flores' track
- In concert with celebrated guitarist Xue Fei Yang
- To Rafael Lloyd Iglesias, I owe a debt that will grow larger for the rest of my life : he introduced me to flamenco, and my world was irrevocably changed. Dedication - doctoral thesis at Oxford University. Professor of Algorithmic and Microbial Genomics.
- Short documentary for Spanish TV with EOB (Ed O'Brien from Radiohead) and Nick Hooper (Harry Potter music composer). Click here
Educator. Teacher. Lecturer. Masterclasses
Rafael has taught at many educational establishments including the Faculty of Music, Oxford University, Trinity College London, Birmingham Conservatoire, Bath International Guitar Festival and currently teaches the culture and history of flamenco at the Université de Brest Occidentale in Brest, France. Rafael offers masterclasses, workshops and lectures tailored to your establishment’s needs.
'You were remarkable - so much impact on so many people, and each session perfectly judged. Everyone has been full of praise and thanks. Thank you again, a magical few days'. Sam G. - Director of Music, Radley College, Oxon.
'You are our favourite teacher' - Spanish degree University students (Music, poetry and culture module) at Université de Brest Occidentale, UBO, France.
Rose Augustine (Augustine Strings), '...in all the years I have been going to flamenco workshops, this is the first time I have really learnt something, thank you!'
'You were remarkable - so much impact on so many people, and each session perfectly judged. Everyone has been full of praise and thanks. Thank you again, a magical few days'. Sam G. - Director of Music, Radley College, Oxon.
'You are our favourite teacher' - Spanish degree University students (Music, poetry and culture module) at Université de Brest Occidentale, UBO, France.
Rose Augustine (Augustine Strings), '...in all the years I have been going to flamenco workshops, this is the first time I have really learnt something, thank you!'
Injuries and how this affects his teaching
Rafael’s teaching is shaped by personal experience as well as professional musicianship. He has overcome two significant injuries: hearing loss, followed by bilateral prosthetic implant surgery, and a serious wrist fracture that required five screws and a titanium plate. These experiences transformed the way he approaches the guitar. His hearing journey developed a more attentive, sensitive relationship to every note, while his wrist recovery led him to explore posture, relaxation, movement, and the body’s role in playing freely and efficiently. As a teacher, Rafael helps students build an ergonomic, tension-free technique that respects the needs of each individual body. His approach combines musical expertise with empathy, resilience, and a deep understanding of the physical and emotional challenges musicians may encounter.
Rafael’s teaching is shaped by personal experience as well as professional musicianship. He has overcome two significant injuries: hearing loss, followed by bilateral prosthetic implant surgery, and a serious wrist fracture that required five screws and a titanium plate. These experiences transformed the way he approaches the guitar. His hearing journey developed a more attentive, sensitive relationship to every note, while his wrist recovery led him to explore posture, relaxation, movement, and the body’s role in playing freely and efficiently. As a teacher, Rafael helps students build an ergonomic, tension-free technique that respects the needs of each individual body. His approach combines musical expertise with empathy, resilience, and a deep understanding of the physical and emotional challenges musicians may encounter.
About Rafael
The Maestro
Rafael Lloyd Iglesias is a flamenco guitarist, composer, producer and educator with more than 40 years of professional experience. Of Anglo-Spanish parents and raised in Spain, Rafael brings a unique multicultural perspective to flamenco, combining deep respect for its traditions with an instinct for innovation. A born performer. He is unique in his knowledge, experience, intellectual background and sheer mastery of the flamenco guitar.
His international reputation is reflected by performances at prestigious venues such as The South Bank Centre in London and the Festival de San Isidro in Madrid and Doha Festival Qatar and in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll. Rafael has recorded two flamenco guitar albums and featured on many others.
Rafael's compositions are not mere sequences of notes, they are narratives imbued with emotion, mood, and a sense of place. One of his early works, ‘Mezquita’ draws inspiration from the architectural marvel in Córdoba, his mother's birthplace. Through his music, Rafael creates a dialogue between the past and present, tradition and innovation, capturing the essence of his influences while asserting his individuality.
Rafael transcends the traditional role of a flamenco guitarist through his rich and diverse career performing, collaborating and recording with musicians all over the world from very different musical backgrounds.
His international reputation is reflected by performances at prestigious venues such as The South Bank Centre in London and the Festival de San Isidro in Madrid and Doha Festival Qatar and in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll. Rafael has recorded two flamenco guitar albums and featured on many others.
Rafael's compositions are not mere sequences of notes, they are narratives imbued with emotion, mood, and a sense of place. One of his early works, ‘Mezquita’ draws inspiration from the architectural marvel in Córdoba, his mother's birthplace. Through his music, Rafael creates a dialogue between the past and present, tradition and innovation, capturing the essence of his influences while asserting his individuality.
Rafael transcends the traditional role of a flamenco guitarist through his rich and diverse career performing, collaborating and recording with musicians all over the world from very different musical backgrounds.
Two solo guitar albums and many featuring. Click on photos to view