Rafael Palacios is an international musician, oboist, conductor and professor with a first class reputation in the rhetorical performance practice. He works regularly in Europe and Latin America helping professional musicians develop their performing skills, and to deliver their messages to selected audiences. For the last six years he has been professor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Dance de Paris, where he created the Seminar on applied musical-rhetorical analysis.
In 2017 Rafael Palaciosalso established Academia Siglo XVIII, a Laboratory specialized in the Sturm und Drang style and in the Mannheim School repertoires.
Developing the ideas of his mentor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Rafael Palacios has created the concept of “Laboratory on Rhetorical Performance Practice”: a series of seminars designed to assist musicians to excel their performing skills by adding in-depth comprehension of the music they perform through theory of rhetorical analysis and understanding how to use it in practice. In 2012-16 a series of such Master Classes was held in Conservatoire Nationale Supérieur de Musique et Dance de Paris, Moscow Conservatory and Université Paris-Sorbonne.
In the framework of his Laboratory Rafael Palacios conducted a series of concerts, from baroque orchestra and choir to symphonic orchestra. In 2014 his Academia Barroca opened the doors for young and established singers and musicians. Same year the Sturm und Drang Laboratory, a joint project with the OSX, Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa and the Faculty of Music, University of Veracruz in Mexico, was started. The aim of the Academy is to develop the performing skills of orchestral and choir performers towards the new aesthetics of the Rhetorically Informed Performance Practice. The programme included such masterpieces as Bach’s Saint John’s Passion and cantatas, as well as Zelenka’s Miserere, Lamentations and orchestral repertoire ranging from Telemann to Fasch to CPE Bach, Mozart, and Haydn. Every year new countries of Latin America keep joining the Laboratory.
Before founding the Laboratory on Rhetorical Performance Practice Rafael Palacios spent 25 years as performing musician. During that time he held senior positions collaborating with the leading musicians and orchestras of today: Sir John Eliot Gardiner: ‘L’Orchestre Révolutionaire et Romantique’, Ph. Herreweghe: Collegium Vocale, L’Orchestre des Champs Elysées, Jordi Savall: Le Concert des Nations, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Sigiswald Kuijken: La Petite Bande, Ton Koopman: Amsterdam Baroque Orquestra, Arnold Östman: Drottningholms Slottsteater Orchestra, Ch. Rousset: Les Talents Lyriques, Jos van Imerseel: Anima Eterna, Jean-Claude Malgoire: La Grande Ecurie & La Chambre du Roi.
As an educator Rafael Palacios held senior positions as: Professor of early oboes and chamber music at the Conservatoire Nationale Supérieur de Musique et Dance de Paris since 2012. Professor at the Faculty of Music, University of Veracruz (Mexico), 2005-2013. Professor at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles, 2006-2007. Professor of oboe at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Oviedo, 1993-1995. In 1996 he received the «Titulo de Profesor Superior de Oboe» from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture.
Rafael Palacios is the author of a PhD Dissertation: « La pronuntiatio musicale : une interprétation rhétorique au service de Händel, Montéclair, C. P. E. Bach et Telemann », Université Paris-Sorbonne, 2012. Awarded with highest honors: «Très honorable avec la felicitation du jury». On the same year, the scientific committee of the Université Paris-Sorbonne has selected his dissertation for publication.
