Slovenčina
Rafael Catalá, born in Valencia.
His worldwide concerts in many European countries, Japan, the Middle East, Mexico and the USA,
(Tokyo Opera Concert Hall, Izumi Hall Osaka; Londons St. John´s Smith Square, Musikverein
Vienna as a Soloist with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Konzerthaus Vienna, Schloss Sanssouci
Potsdam/Berlin, Khan Theater Jerusalem) and his awarded CD recordings, for well-known labels
such as Sony Classical, have made him a very sought-after musician.
Always looking for something new to include in his work, Rafael Catalá’s music tends to originate
from diverse sources. He also seeks the cooperation of important Early Music – and jazz musicians
to enrich his music and to embrace improvisation and in doing so gives audiences and critics alike
a new perspective on the classical & Jazz repertoire, which is enthusiastically received.
He has worked in Duo with major artists such as mezzo-soprano Teresa Berganza (Japan Tour
2004), and the baritone Carlos Alvarez.
He regularly leads courses and seminars in various music universities (Munich, Vienna, Bremen):
Through his research on Spanish music between 1850 – 1950, and the influence of its main
elements (especially flamenco) on the classical guitar repertoire, he has achieved an outstanding
international reputation.
His works and arrangements are published by Doblinger (Vienna).
2011 he founded in Austria his own label ElDuende Productions
Most significant CD recordings:
Rafael Catalá, Fantasia (Sony Classical) was awarded with the Critic’s Price in Japan and
voted “best Record” (Art of the Record – July 2004).
Nómadas (ElDuende Produtions, 2013), Rafael Catalá, Guitar/ Jan Krigovsky, Double Bass
/ Hrvoje Rupcic, Percussion
Tales of the Minotaur (ElDuende Productions, 2011) Rafael Catalá, Guitars; Roger Blàvia,
percussion; Albert Kreuzer, Double Bass
Echoes of flamenco (Gramola, 2008). Rafael Catalá, Guitars; Roger Blàvia, percussion;
Katalin Halmai, Voice; Albert Kreuzer, Double Bass, Istvan Tóth, Double Bass.
Canciones españolas y un poema (Gramola, 2008), with Carlos Álvarez.
Rafael Catalá, Generación 27 (EOS Records, 2006).
Rafael Catalá, Música Iberica (Sony Classical, 1994)
Sound of the silence Guitar (together with A. Lagoya and Los Angeles Guitar Quartet,
Sony Classical)
he has recording with Letizia Scherrer the Brahms´ Deutsche Lieder, in arrangement by
R. Dünser (VMS Records)
As an editor, he has significantly contributed to the renewal of the guitar repertoire, and to
discovering new paths of musical exploration. He is the editor of the guitar music series Musica
Iberica, dedicated to Spanish guitar music of the 19th Century . So far five volumes have
appeared. Through his work with Teresa Berganza, he published his arrangements and critical
studies of the 15 Canciones populares españolas antiguas, collected by Federico García Lorca also
for Doblinger. In the series for the German publisher Chanterelle “Spanish guitar music from the
27 generation of 1927: the Legacy of Manuel de Falla“, Catalá has included very important and
largely unknown works from the first half of the 20th Century.
Music / Guitar Studies, Master of Arts in Barcelona, Paris, Graz
As a composer he has attended courses with Cristobal Halffter, Luis de Pablo and Helmut
Lachenmann. His plays and adaptations have been performed in several countries in Europe,
Japan and the U.S. Some of them have been taken up by various radio and television stations and
are published by Clivis Verlag (Barcelona), Verlag Doblinger (Vienna) and Chanterelle Verlag
(Heidelberg).
http://www.rafael-catala.com/ http://de.elduende-productions.com/