Artist Bio
Rafael Luna is a cosmic yet crisp breed of musician who is very well in his own category with a compelling sound and unique voice which has a powerful command to fit in any given situation. He is an award winning artist who is sought after by many distinguished creatives local, national and international alike from ALL backgrounds and walks of life. Equally a stylist and innovator, however, Rafael is just by nature a Creative Artist who wears many hats. A Multi-faceted Flutist, Composer, and Educator just to name a few but the list goes on. He is constantly adding, evolving, and refining his creative lifestyle (career). Rafael Luna, who is also known by other names, has made a name for himself in the vast creative arts industry through his unique approach to what he calls Global Community Outreach. He has clearly taken the time and dedication to create such a network which in turn is fortunate to connect with all sorts of people in his life.
In Academia, Rafael has had musical instruction as well as mentorship with world renowned artists of all genres/styles + backgrounds. Studied Flute under Catherine Barron, a former student of Caryl Mae Scott and Ruth Christensen, a local Norcal performer and educator who has had an extensive career as a flutist, Matthew Krejci, a former Principal Flutist of Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra, former Flute Professor at the University of Pacific and Chamber Music Society of Sacramento, Caryl Mae Scott, a former Principal Flutist of Stockton Symphony, former Flute Professor at CSU Stanislaus and San Joaquin Delta College who studied under Julius Baker, and Jean Pierre Rampal, Murray Graitzer, formerly Principal Flutist, San Francisco Symphony and Leone Byuse, assistant Principal Flutist, Boston Pops Orchestra.
Studied Jazz and Music Education under Brian Kendrick, Jazz Program Director at SJDC, studied music theory, composition and improvisation under
Aaron Garner, Music Theory and Composition Professor, Jazz Combo Director at SJDC, studied music education, conducting and woodwind specialization under Arthur J. Holton III, Faculty Clarinet Professor at SJDC former Band Director, current Music Director of Stockton Concert Band and MJ Wamhoff, former SJDC Performing Arts Dean, current Band Director and Brass Program director.
Studied Jazz Improvisation and Composition, received mentorship under Paul Novros, Jazz Faculty at CalArts, LA film producer, composer, and writer for Graphic Films, studied performance pedagogy and received mentorship under Phil O’Connor, Instrumental Arts Faculty at CalArts, Director of AFM Local 47, and LA recording artist, studied jazz improvisation and pedagogy under Larry Koonse, Jazz Faculty at CalArts and CSUN, One of LA’s most sought after jazz guitarists in the music scene, studied and received mentorship under David Roitstein, Jazz Program Director at CalArts, studied performance and composition under Steve Lehman, Performer/Composer Faculty at CalArts, studied north indian classical music under Guruji- Aashish Khan, World Music Faculty at CalArts and prize winning artist, studied and received mentorship for musicology, composition, performance and pedagogy under Eyvind Kang, Co-Director of Experimental Pop Specialization, Performer/Composer Faculty at CalArts, studied and received mentorship for african music and dance, and arts pedagogy under Andrew Grueschow, Co-Director of World Music Performance at CalArts, Teaching Artist with Music Center-Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Affiliated with LSSN Network (Music-In-Education National Consortium), received mentorship for improvisation, pedagogy and guidance under Art Lande, master pianist, musician, improviser, drummer, composer and music educator, studied and received mentorship for creative arts education, pedagogy, composition and multidisciplinarity through
David Rosenboom, former School of Music Dean at CalArts, current Roy E. Disney Family Chair in Musical Composition Faculty at CalArts.
Rafael holds a Bachelors in Fine Arts from CalArts with a focus on Jazz Performance, Music Technology and Composition, and a Masters in Fine Arts from CalArts with a focus on Musical Performance and Improvisation, Creative Arts Education and Pedagogy, Audio-Visual Art. Currently academically speaking, he is in the process of pursuing a DMA in the near future with his own creative arts platform he founded back in 2018 called "The Raf Collective" (TBA)
Professionally, Rafael Luna has either performed, recorded and/or collaborated in some way shape or form with grammy award winning, International, and Industry professionals throughout his artistic career. Though he is actively involved in the creative arts industry most don’t know of his vast accomplishments from the roots till the present day. A Socal born native that grew up in Norcal who in his early stages as a developing musician/artist had the privilege to work with Mic Gillete, American brass player first trumpet and founding member of Oakland funk outfit Tower of Power, Mike Vax, American brass musician and international artist for the warburton company, Brian Schlegel, a notable American brass performer and music educator, Brian Kendrick, Jazz Program Director at SJDC, Aaron Garner, Music Theory and Composition Professor, Jazz Combo Director at SJDC, Arthur J. Holton III, Faculty Clarinet Professor at SJDC former Band Director, current Music Director of Stockton Concert Band, MJ Wamhoff, former SJDC Performing Arts Dean, current Band Director and Brass Program director, Dr. Robert Halseth, Conductor/Music Director of Sierra Nevada Winds Orchestra and Director of Bands Emeritus at California State University, Sacramento, a position he held from 1993- 2016. He is the founder and co-clinician of the NorCal Wind Conducting Workshop, which each June since 1994 has featured some of the finest wind conductors and conducting teachers in the world, including Mallory Thompson, H. Robert Reynolds, Frederick Fennell, Allan McMurray, Gary Hill, Craig Kirchhoff, Eugene Corporon and Jack Stamp. He holds two degrees in music from California State University, Fresno, and the Doctor of Arts degree in wind conducting and brass pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado, where his primary professors were Eugene Migliaro Corporon and Buddy Baker. He has conducted instrumental music at all levels, elementary through professional, since 1966. At the college/university level, he served on the music faculties of Carroll College (Wisconsin) and University of the Pacific (Stockton, California) prior to accepting his position at Sacramento State in 1993.Dr. Halseth led CSUS ensembles in performance in Carnegie Hall, the Mondavi Center, Atherton Auditorium and the Faye Spanos Concert Hall, and also conducted performances in Singapore, Guam, Hawaii, and at conferences of the California Band Directors Association, California Music Educators Association, Colorado Music Educators Association, Iowa Intercollegiate Band Association, College Band Directors National Association, and the International Trombone Association. He received the Dave Goedecke Lifetime Achievement Award from the California Band Directors Association and in 2016 was inducted into the California Music Educators Hall of Fame. His 40-year career as a bass trombonist includes performances with Bobby McFerrin, Manhattan Transfer, Cab Calloway, Johnny Mathis, Frankie Avalon, Bob Hope, Telly Savalas, Vic Damone, Diahann Carroll, Shari Lewis, Don Menza, Mike Vax, Urbie Green, George Roberts, Ralph Sauer, Beverly Sills, Pierre Fournier, Paul Vermel, Piero Gamba, Arthur Fiedler, Peter Jaffe, and the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus. He held memberships in the National Repertory Orchestra and San Diego Symphony, Zoltan Rozsnyai, conductor, and also performed with the La Jolla Chamber Orchestra, Fresno Philharmonic, Fresno Brass Quintet, Milwaukee Ballet, Brassific, Stockton Symphony, Bay Bones, and numerous pit bands for Broadway musicals. Professional memberships include WASBE, CBDA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Kappa Kappa Psi and Pi Kappa Lambda, and he is a Past President of the Western Division of the College Band Directors National Association.
Matthew Baer, a longtime Professor of Music and Accompanist at SJDC with a prolific experience in music education as well as collaborative piano performance, Sal Lozano, One of LA’s high caliber woodwind players known for his work with the Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band, but also well-known in the music education community, Professor of Saxophone at CSU Long Beach. Phil O’Connor, Instrumental Arts Faculty at CalArts, LA's most-acclaimed Clarinetist and woodwind specialist, Director of AFM Local 47, Bob McChesney, LA based jazz and studio trombonist, Kenny Werner, American jazz pianist, composer, and author, Antonio Sanchez, Highly acclaimed and Grammy award winning Mexican jazz drummer and composer, Eric Marienthal, Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Based contemporary saxophonist, Gilbert Castellanos, Mexican born jazz trumpeter based in San Diego known for his work with Black Note Tom Scott, Anthony Wilson, Charles Mcpherson, and Willie Jones III, Rick Shaw, LA Bassist and educator known for his work with Gordon Goodwin Big Phat band and Johnny Mathis, Bob Mintzer, an internationally celebrated jazz musician and longtime faculty member in the Jazz Studies program at USC Thornton, Charles McNeal, a well revered American jazz saxophonist and educator, Claudia Villela, a highly acclaimed and Grammy award winning Brazilian jazz singer, David Friesen, an accomplished american jazz bassist, equally represented on double bass as electric.
Before the following names became who they are now I worked alongside them on different occasions in my life. They as well as countless others (way too many to list) but wanted to note those that were part of my journey. All roughly around the same generation of musicians trying to keep the arts alive in a very lost world, those are Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, New York based saxophonist and recording artist recognized for his work as a soloist in the genres of jazz and pop music. He was a member of the multi Grammy winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and has toured with popular music icon Taylor Swift, currently on tour with Chris Botti (Grammy award musician and composer) amongst other creative and educational endeavors, Zach Brown, a sought-after Bassist who has played with numerous artists such as Paquito D'Rivera, Lonnie Liston Smith, and Donald Harrison, among others, currently involved in many performing and educational settings, Javier Santiago, a pianist with a diverse set of influences - ranging from classical and jazz to hip-hop and world music, currently a pianist in the Herbie Hancock Institute (aka Monk Institute) as one of others chosen for the class of 2023, Ben Flocks, Saxophonist and educator currently a member of the smash-hit ensemble Sammy Miller and the Congregation, Joel Ross, American vibraphonist, composer and educator currently releasing a new album, 'The Parable Of The Poet,' Releases 'Prayer'. The album is set to be released on April 15 via Blue Note Records. Tom Kelley, American Saxophonist, Arranger-Composer, Woodwind Player who has played Lead alto and flute on Brian Lynch’s GRAMMY-winning big band album The Omni-American Book Club (Hollistic Music Works, 2019), currently performing and teaching within the Florida region amongst other places, Malachi Whitson, Drummer born in Richmond, California and began playing drums at age 7. He received awards for his musicianship from the Stanford Jazz Workshop, San Jose Jazz Workshop and Folsom Jazz Festival while in high school. Whitson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Brubeck Institute at the University of the Pacific and a Master of Fine Arts degree from California Institute of the Arts. He has performed with Joshua Redman, Helen Sung, Christian McBride and Theo Croker. Whitson has served as an instructor at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, Brubeck Institute Summer Jazz Colony, and East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. Under his own name Malachi Currently has a trio known to many as "The Project". This newly formed trio has its own particular repertoire that melds the sultry sounds of Soul and R&B with the structure and improvisational context of Jazz. He attended UCLA's Herbie Hancock Institute between 2018-2020.
Rane Roatta, From Professional Saxophonist to Exotic Fruit Seller How Rane Roatta, of Miami Fruit, is spreading the love of tropical fruit around North America. Roatta began selling fruit nearly a decade ago, after making a career change. Before, he was a professional saxophonist. He started by riding his bicycle across Miami picking up fruit from different farms and selling it at farmers’ markets.Roatta turned to his partner, Edelle Schlegel, for help. She created a website and Instagram account for the business, taking mouth-watering photos of fruit platters and smoothie bowls. Slowly but surely, they grew the company. Together, they bought a little farm of about seven acres and dedicated themselves to continually experimenting with new varieties.
Guilio Cetto, One of the hardest working bass players in the Bay Area. He has performed with several Grammy award-winning artists such as Lawrence Hobgood, Johnathan Hoard, Fantastic Negrito and Thomas Pridgen. He has played in notable venues such as SF Jazz, Yoshi’s Oakland, the Yerba Buena Theater, Zelllerbach Playhouse, San Francisco International Film Festival, and the Great American Music Hall, currently facing injury struggle due to an accident which has led him to stop his creative activities for the meantime, link for more details- https://www.gofundme.com/f/giuliocettorecovery ,
Mike Quigg, Mike is a well-known drummer around the Oakland music scene, playing freelance with a variety of Jazz, Funk and Soul groups, in addition to his regular trio, Bastet. He’s also got a wealth of musical experience as a practiced & educated drummer, bassist and pianist, Mike Rocha, Los Angeles-based music artist, expert arranger, and meme connoisseur Mike Rocha is a talented and charismatic force in this age of musical enterprise. Whether performing in formal orchestral settings, high-profile cinema appearances, in a jazz club with other dude(tte)s, or in costume singing and dancing, Mike is noted for his professional excellence and integrity. Currently plays trumpet in the Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band and Little Phat Band amongst many others and countless creative activities besides just this. Phillip Bailey Moncrease, multi-instrumentalist, singer and rapper out of Stockton, California, currently Director of Magnification; Worship, Music, Media and Creative Arts at Victory In Praise Church Stockton, Sean Britt, In 2013, Massachusetts native Sean Britt became the first guitarist in the Brubeck Institute fellowship program at University of the Pacific. He was a member of the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet (BIJQ), which Downbeat Magazine named the best undergraduate jazz combo in their Student Awards Poll in 2016. While in the BIJQ he performed with visiting artists including Christian McBride, Stefon Harris, and Chris and Darius Brubeck among others. Britt transferred to The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City where he received his BFA in Jazz Studies. He went on to receive a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music, class of 2019. Sean currently resides in New York City where he composes, performs and teaches privately. And many many more...
Rafael’s journey has been immersive and well traveled but when he left the northern valley to be LA based he found himself amongst people, such as, Charlie Haden, celebrated jazz bassist, composer, faculty and founder of the Jazz Studies Program at The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts in 1982, David Roitstein, American pianist and composer Jazz Program Director at California Institute of the Arts, Paul Novros, Jazz Faculty at CalArts, LA film producer, composer, and writer for Graphic Films, Larry Koonse, a globally respected and highly regarded American jazz guitarist, Joe LaBarbera, American jazz drummer and composer. He is best known for his recordings and live performances with the trio of pianist Bill Evans in the final years of Evans's career. His older brothers are saxophonist Pat LaBarbera and trumpeter John LaBarbera, Houman Pourmehdi, Iranian master percussionist, well known for his diverse abilities as a musician, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, performing and recording in numerous ensembles and at a variety of venues, World Music Performance: Persian Music, World Percussion Faculty at CalArts, Michael Pisaro, American guitarist and composer. A member of the Wandelweiser Composers Ensemble, he has composed over 80 works for a great variety of instrumental combinations, including several pieces for variable instrumentation, Darek Oles, Polish jazz bassist, composer, arranger, and educator, Andrew McIntosh, American composer, violinist, violist, and baroque violinist who teaches at the California Institute of the Arts, with musical interests covering a broad spectrum including historical performance practice, improvisation, microtonal tuning systems, long-form works, and the 20th-century avant-garde, Steve Lehman, American composer and saxophonist in the genres of jazz and experimental music. His compositions have been performed by a number of international performers and orchestras,
Ulrich Krieger, German contemporary composer, performer, improviser and experimental rock musician based in Los Angeles. Krieger's artistic work spans a broad field from contemporary classical composition and free improvisation to experimental fusion with electronic music, rock, metal and noise.
Aashish Khan, Indian classical musician, a player of the sarod. He was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006 in the 'Best World Music' category for his album "Golden Strings of the Sarode". He is also a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award,
Eyvind Kang, American composer and multi-instrumentalist. His primary instrument is viola, but has also performed on violin, tuba, keyboards and others. In addition to his solo work, Kang has worked extensively with Bill Frisell and John Zorn, Alphonso Johnson, American jazz bassist active since the early 1970s. Johnson was a member of the jazz fusion group Weather Report from 1973 to 1975, and has performed and recorded with numerous artists,
David Johnson, American composer, marimba/vibraphone soloist, percussionist and keyboard player. He is known for his unique touch and approach to new classical music, improvisation, and blending of jazz and classical sensibilities. David plays with a wide range of ensembles including PARTCH, XTET, the New Century Players, the Kim Richmond Jazz Orchestra, the Vinny Golia Large Ensemble, Dark Wing, Roger Williams, the Lian Ensemble and the Nate La Pointe Band. He was a member of the historic Blackearth Percussion Group and has worked with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, John Zorn, Pierre Boulez, Wadada Leo Smith, Yusef Lateef, Stuart Copeland, Green Day, Dave Brubeck, and the California Ear Unit among others, Andrew Grueschow, LA-based percussionist with an interest in music the world over. He has traveled to Ghana, West Africa several times, studying the music of the Ewe and the Dagombas, and recording traditional drumming for Zadonu Records, Vinny Golia, American composer and multi-instrumentalist specializing in woodwind instruments. He performs in the genres of contemporary music, jazz, free jazz, and free improvisation, Randy Gloss, A protégé of renowned percussion vanguard John Bergamo and longtime student of tabla maestro Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Randy Gloss is a percussionist whose background performing several modalities of hand drums, contemporary percussion, and drum set has led to his involvement in many innovative ensembles that fuse world music with new music and jazz.
John Fumo, American composer, trumpet and flugelhorn, artist. He maintains an active performing, recording, and touring schedule in addition to his CalArts and USC teaching. A trumpeter, who gained fame in the jazz world for his work with some of the top avant-garde jazz players of Southern California and who has been a busy studio and session player for decades, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Indian tabla player, He has accompanied several musicians of Indian classical music, including, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pandit Bhimshen Joshi, Pandit Jasraj, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and many more, Pirayeh Pourafar, Iranian musician, tar player, and expert on Persian music. Pourafar learned the radif as a student of Grand Master Ali Akbar Shahnazi at the Royal National Music Conservatory of Tehran. She has directed two successful Persian music ensembles, Nava Ensemble and Lian Ensemble, Kudsi Erguner, Turkish musician. He is considered a master of traditional Mevlevi Sufi music and is one of the best-known players of the Turkish ney flute, Art Lande, Grammy-nominated, is considered one of the premiere improvisational jazz pianists today, Bobby Bradford, American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, bandleader, and composer. In addition to his solo work, Bradford is noted for his work with John Carter, Vinny Golia and Ornette Coleman. In October 2009, Bradford became the second recipient of the Festival of New Trumpet Music's Award of Recognition.
Edwin Livingston, Bassist/Composer/Educator - He has performed and/or recorded with: Elvin Jones, Ellis, Delfeayo, and Jason Marsalis, The Headhunters, Los Hombres Calientes (Grammy nominated Latin Jazz album), Bill Summers, Munyungo Jackson, Donald Harrison, Jr., Alvin Batiste, Ronnie Laws, D.J. Logic, John Beasley, The MONK'estra, Otmaro Ruiz, Mike Garson, James Clay, Barbara Morrison, Queen Latifah, The Afro-American Chamber Music Society Orchestra, The Benjamin Wright Orchestra (Raphael Saadiq, Justin Timberlake, Will.I.Am, Brian McKnight, Mary J Blige, Aretha Franklin), Vince Mendoza, Bob Mintzer (Grammy nominated large ensemble album), Yellowjackets, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jovanotti, Keiko Matsui, Melody Gardot, Seal, Natalie Cole, and many others, Chris Speed, American saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer, a band member of The Bad Plus amongst many others,
Bennie Maupin, American jazz multi-instrumentalist who performs on various saxophones, flute, and bass clarinet, best-known for his atmospheric bass clarinet playing on Miles Davis' classic Bitches Brew album, as well as other Miles Davis recordings such as Big Fun, Jack Johnson, and On the Corner. He was a founding member of Herbie Hancock's seminal band The Headhunters, as well as a performer and composer in Hancock's influential Mwandishi band. Born in 1940, Maupin started playing clarinet, later adding saxophone, flute, and, most notably, the bass clarinet to his formidable arsenal of woodwind instruments. Upon moving to New York in 1962, he freelanced with groups led by Marion Brown, Pharoah Sanders, and Chick Corea, and played regularly with Roy Haynes and Horace Silver. He also recorded with McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Hill, Eddie Henderson, and Woody Shaw, to name only a few, Michael Skloff, best known as a TV & Film composer. Most notably he wrote the theme song "I'll Be There For You" for the hit NBC comedy series FRIENDS, for which he received an Emmy Award nomination. He was also nominated for an Emmy for the main title theme to HBO's comedy series DREAM ON, John Baffa, has been in the professional audio business for more than 25 years; primarily as a recording engineer. John has held positions on both the faculty and staff at the Herb Alpert School of Music at California Institute of the Arts since 2000. John is currently the Technical Director Performance Production as well as faculty within the Music Technology: Interaction, Intelligence and Design (MTIID) Specialization department. Over his career, John has worked with a diverse set of performers, mixing such artists as Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Trio, Johnny Cash, Mike Patton, Henry Rollins, The Melvins, Pulley, Ten Foot Pole, Vinny Golia, Ullrich Krieger, Vicki Ray, David Rosenboom, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Vonettes, Plotz, Dr Mint, Banyon, the Los Angeles Percussion Quartet, Anne Hall, Towse, and Ackland,
Heitor Pereira, a Grammy award winning Brazilian composer and musician who is one of LA’s major film scorers having worked with Hans Zimmer,
Chris Garcia, composer, multi instrumentalist, improviser, educator.continues to garner critical accolades and popular acclaim as a composer/multi instrumentalist/improviser/educator who continues to be invited to perform his compositions for various ensembles, with performances in 28 countries on 5 continents, Sulley Imoro, Master dancer and drummer, solo performer. Specializes in teaching and performing traditional drumming and dance from Ghana, Victor Nani Agbeli, Director of West African music, dance and song (Ghana) at the music department at Pomona College. Agbeli came to Pomona after teaching at CalArts and directing Kiniwe, the African drum and dance ensemble of Tuft University’s music department, as well as programs at Harvard University and the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Agbeli provides training in dance, drumming, language, song, production, direction, choreography and Anlo-Ewe drum languages. He is regarded as one of the top traditional Ghanaian dancers and drummers of his generation, known for his athleticism, precision, creativity and energy. He grew up in a family of professional dancers and drummers in the capital city of Accra and in Ghana’s Volta Region. His father, Godwin Kwasi Agbeli, founded the Dagbe Center in the village of Kopeyia, Ghana, a family-run school for traditional music, dance and textile arts where his older brothers teach and perform. For many years Nani Agbeli was the head teacher for the study tour groups who would come to study,
Scott Colley, American jazz double bassist and composer. He has performed in bands led by [[Herbie Hancock], [T. S. Monk]], Jim Hall, Andrew Hill, Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Pat Metheny, Carmen McRae, Edward Simon, Adam Rogers, Brian Blade, David Binney, Antonio Sanchez, Kenny Werner.
Jonathan Finlayson, has been recognized by the New York Times as an incisive and often surprising trumpeter, who is fascinated with composition,
Vardan Ovsepian, Armenia-born pianist/composer whose studies include Yerevan State Conservatory, Estonian Music Academy, Helsinki Jazz Conservatory, and Berklee College of Music. Performs solo as well as with artists such as Mick Goodrick, Tim Miller, Peter Erskine, Jerry Bergonzi, David Binney and Tatiana Parra. Tony Malaby, American jazz tenor saxophonist. Malaby was born in Tucson, Arizona. He moved to New York City in 1995 and played with several notable jazz groups, including Charlie Haden’s Liberation Orchestra, Paul Motian’s Electric Bebop Band, Mark Helias’ Open Loose, Fred Hersch’s quintet and Walt Whitman project, Michell Portal’s Birdwatcher, various projects with Daniel Humair and bands led by Mario Pavone, Tim Berne, Chris Lightcap, Kris Davis, Angelica Sanchez, Michael Attias and Marty Ehrlich. And many many more...
Raf Update 2022:
Currently since moving back from Los Angeles temporarily to Norcal Rafael Luna has been mostly doing teaching residencies around Northern California at various School Districts in the valley plus San Joaquin Delta College, a local community college, but with some opportunities to do creative work (either his own or of others) both in-person and virtually. Due to the constraints of COVID-19 and the Pandemic amongst other things in his life he had a lot of postponed activities that are just now gearing back up during this Summer 2022 and beyond Abroad. Still a California based artist for the time being but this will change within the next couple of months of which Rafael is not only super excited but has been diligently at work for this very purpose for almost 15 years since the start of his career but has slowly seen some light and fruits just in the last 5 years. Rafael Luna has always been around music and arts since he was age 5 but had officially embarked on his journey as a career musician at age 12 with his first professional instances beginning at just age 15, after that it's just been history and continuation of this creatives immersive experience.
I'm keeping this picture up anyways lol more below
In Academia, Rafael has had musical instruction as well as mentorship with world renowned artists of all genres/styles + backgrounds. Studied Flute under Catherine Barron, a former student of Caryl Mae Scott and Ruth Christensen, a local Norcal performer and educator who has had an extensive career as a flutist, Matthew Krejci, a former Principal Flutist of Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra, former Flute Professor at the University of Pacific and Chamber Music Society of Sacramento, Caryl Mae Scott, a former Principal Flutist of Stockton Symphony, former Flute Professor at CSU Stanislaus and San Joaquin Delta College who studied under Julius Baker, and Jean Pierre Rampal, Murray Graitzer, formerly Principal Flutist, San Francisco Symphony and Leone Byuse, assistant Principal Flutist, Boston Pops Orchestra.
Studied Jazz and Music Education under Brian Kendrick, Jazz Program Director at SJDC, studied music theory, composition and improvisation under
Aaron Garner, Music Theory and Composition Professor, Jazz Combo Director at SJDC, studied music education, conducting and woodwind specialization under Arthur J. Holton III, Faculty Clarinet Professor at SJDC former Band Director, current Music Director of Stockton Concert Band and MJ Wamhoff, former SJDC Performing Arts Dean, current Band Director and Brass Program director.
Studied Jazz Improvisation and Composition, received mentorship under Paul Novros, Jazz Faculty at CalArts, LA film producer, composer, and writer for Graphic Films, studied performance pedagogy and received mentorship under Phil O’Connor, Instrumental Arts Faculty at CalArts, Director of AFM Local 47, and LA recording artist, studied jazz improvisation and pedagogy under Larry Koonse, Jazz Faculty at CalArts and CSUN, One of LA’s most sought after jazz guitarists in the music scene, studied and received mentorship under David Roitstein, Jazz Program Director at CalArts, studied performance and composition under Steve Lehman, Performer/Composer Faculty at CalArts, studied north indian classical music under Guruji- Aashish Khan, World Music Faculty at CalArts and prize winning artist, studied and received mentorship for musicology, composition, performance and pedagogy under Eyvind Kang, Co-Director of Experimental Pop Specialization, Performer/Composer Faculty at CalArts, studied and received mentorship for african music and dance, and arts pedagogy under Andrew Grueschow, Co-Director of World Music Performance at CalArts, Teaching Artist with Music Center-Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Affiliated with LSSN Network (Music-In-Education National Consortium), received mentorship for improvisation, pedagogy and guidance under Art Lande, master pianist, musician, improviser, drummer, composer and music educator, studied and received mentorship for creative arts education, pedagogy, composition and multidisciplinarity through
David Rosenboom, former School of Music Dean at CalArts, current Roy E. Disney Family Chair in Musical Composition Faculty at CalArts.
Rafael holds a Bachelors in Fine Arts from CalArts with a focus on Jazz Performance, Music Technology and Composition, and a Masters in Fine Arts from CalArts with a focus on Musical Performance and Improvisation, Creative Arts Education and Pedagogy, Audio-Visual Art. Currently academically speaking, he is in the process of pursuing a DMA in the near future with his own creative arts platform he founded back in 2018 called "The Raf Collective" (TBA)
Professionally, Rafael Luna has either performed, recorded and/or collaborated in some way shape or form with grammy award winning, International, and Industry professionals throughout his artistic career. Though he is actively involved in the creative arts industry most don’t know of his vast accomplishments from the roots till the present day. A Socal born native that grew up in Norcal who in his early stages as a developing musician/artist had the privilege to work with Mic Gillete, American brass player first trumpet and founding member of Oakland funk outfit Tower of Power, Mike Vax, American brass musician and international artist for the warburton company, Brian Schlegel, a notable American brass performer and music educator, Brian Kendrick, Jazz Program Director at SJDC, Aaron Garner, Music Theory and Composition Professor, Jazz Combo Director at SJDC, Arthur J. Holton III, Faculty Clarinet Professor at SJDC former Band Director, current Music Director of Stockton Concert Band, MJ Wamhoff, former SJDC Performing Arts Dean, current Band Director and Brass Program director, Dr. Robert Halseth, Conductor/Music Director of Sierra Nevada Winds Orchestra and Director of Bands Emeritus at California State University, Sacramento, a position he held from 1993- 2016. He is the founder and co-clinician of the NorCal Wind Conducting Workshop, which each June since 1994 has featured some of the finest wind conductors and conducting teachers in the world, including Mallory Thompson, H. Robert Reynolds, Frederick Fennell, Allan McMurray, Gary Hill, Craig Kirchhoff, Eugene Corporon and Jack Stamp. He holds two degrees in music from California State University, Fresno, and the Doctor of Arts degree in wind conducting and brass pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado, where his primary professors were Eugene Migliaro Corporon and Buddy Baker. He has conducted instrumental music at all levels, elementary through professional, since 1966. At the college/university level, he served on the music faculties of Carroll College (Wisconsin) and University of the Pacific (Stockton, California) prior to accepting his position at Sacramento State in 1993.Dr. Halseth led CSUS ensembles in performance in Carnegie Hall, the Mondavi Center, Atherton Auditorium and the Faye Spanos Concert Hall, and also conducted performances in Singapore, Guam, Hawaii, and at conferences of the California Band Directors Association, California Music Educators Association, Colorado Music Educators Association, Iowa Intercollegiate Band Association, College Band Directors National Association, and the International Trombone Association. He received the Dave Goedecke Lifetime Achievement Award from the California Band Directors Association and in 2016 was inducted into the California Music Educators Hall of Fame. His 40-year career as a bass trombonist includes performances with Bobby McFerrin, Manhattan Transfer, Cab Calloway, Johnny Mathis, Frankie Avalon, Bob Hope, Telly Savalas, Vic Damone, Diahann Carroll, Shari Lewis, Don Menza, Mike Vax, Urbie Green, George Roberts, Ralph Sauer, Beverly Sills, Pierre Fournier, Paul Vermel, Piero Gamba, Arthur Fiedler, Peter Jaffe, and the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus. He held memberships in the National Repertory Orchestra and San Diego Symphony, Zoltan Rozsnyai, conductor, and also performed with the La Jolla Chamber Orchestra, Fresno Philharmonic, Fresno Brass Quintet, Milwaukee Ballet, Brassific, Stockton Symphony, Bay Bones, and numerous pit bands for Broadway musicals. Professional memberships include WASBE, CBDA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Kappa Kappa Psi and Pi Kappa Lambda, and he is a Past President of the Western Division of the College Band Directors National Association.
Matthew Baer, a longtime Professor of Music and Accompanist at SJDC with a prolific experience in music education as well as collaborative piano performance, Sal Lozano, One of LA’s high caliber woodwind players known for his work with the Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band, but also well-known in the music education community, Professor of Saxophone at CSU Long Beach. Phil O’Connor, Instrumental Arts Faculty at CalArts, LA's most-acclaimed Clarinetist and woodwind specialist, Director of AFM Local 47, Bob McChesney, LA based jazz and studio trombonist, Kenny Werner, American jazz pianist, composer, and author, Antonio Sanchez, Highly acclaimed and Grammy award winning Mexican jazz drummer and composer, Eric Marienthal, Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Based contemporary saxophonist, Gilbert Castellanos, Mexican born jazz trumpeter based in San Diego known for his work with Black Note Tom Scott, Anthony Wilson, Charles Mcpherson, and Willie Jones III, Rick Shaw, LA Bassist and educator known for his work with Gordon Goodwin Big Phat band and Johnny Mathis, Bob Mintzer, an internationally celebrated jazz musician and longtime faculty member in the Jazz Studies program at USC Thornton, Charles McNeal, a well revered American jazz saxophonist and educator, Claudia Villela, a highly acclaimed and Grammy award winning Brazilian jazz singer, David Friesen, an accomplished american jazz bassist, equally represented on double bass as electric.
Before the following names became who they are now I worked alongside them on different occasions in my life. They as well as countless others (way too many to list) but wanted to note those that were part of my journey. All roughly around the same generation of musicians trying to keep the arts alive in a very lost world, those are Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, New York based saxophonist and recording artist recognized for his work as a soloist in the genres of jazz and pop music. He was a member of the multi Grammy winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and has toured with popular music icon Taylor Swift, currently on tour with Chris Botti (Grammy award musician and composer) amongst other creative and educational endeavors, Zach Brown, a sought-after Bassist who has played with numerous artists such as Paquito D'Rivera, Lonnie Liston Smith, and Donald Harrison, among others, currently involved in many performing and educational settings, Javier Santiago, a pianist with a diverse set of influences - ranging from classical and jazz to hip-hop and world music, currently a pianist in the Herbie Hancock Institute (aka Monk Institute) as one of others chosen for the class of 2023, Ben Flocks, Saxophonist and educator currently a member of the smash-hit ensemble Sammy Miller and the Congregation, Joel Ross, American vibraphonist, composer and educator currently releasing a new album, 'The Parable Of The Poet,' Releases 'Prayer'. The album is set to be released on April 15 via Blue Note Records. Tom Kelley, American Saxophonist, Arranger-Composer, Woodwind Player who has played Lead alto and flute on Brian Lynch’s GRAMMY-winning big band album The Omni-American Book Club (Hollistic Music Works, 2019), currently performing and teaching within the Florida region amongst other places, Malachi Whitson, Drummer born in Richmond, California and began playing drums at age 7. He received awards for his musicianship from the Stanford Jazz Workshop, San Jose Jazz Workshop and Folsom Jazz Festival while in high school. Whitson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Brubeck Institute at the University of the Pacific and a Master of Fine Arts degree from California Institute of the Arts. He has performed with Joshua Redman, Helen Sung, Christian McBride and Theo Croker. Whitson has served as an instructor at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, Brubeck Institute Summer Jazz Colony, and East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. Under his own name Malachi Currently has a trio known to many as "The Project". This newly formed trio has its own particular repertoire that melds the sultry sounds of Soul and R&B with the structure and improvisational context of Jazz. He attended UCLA's Herbie Hancock Institute between 2018-2020.
Rane Roatta, From Professional Saxophonist to Exotic Fruit Seller How Rane Roatta, of Miami Fruit, is spreading the love of tropical fruit around North America. Roatta began selling fruit nearly a decade ago, after making a career change. Before, he was a professional saxophonist. He started by riding his bicycle across Miami picking up fruit from different farms and selling it at farmers’ markets.Roatta turned to his partner, Edelle Schlegel, for help. She created a website and Instagram account for the business, taking mouth-watering photos of fruit platters and smoothie bowls. Slowly but surely, they grew the company. Together, they bought a little farm of about seven acres and dedicated themselves to continually experimenting with new varieties.
Guilio Cetto, One of the hardest working bass players in the Bay Area. He has performed with several Grammy award-winning artists such as Lawrence Hobgood, Johnathan Hoard, Fantastic Negrito and Thomas Pridgen. He has played in notable venues such as SF Jazz, Yoshi’s Oakland, the Yerba Buena Theater, Zelllerbach Playhouse, San Francisco International Film Festival, and the Great American Music Hall, currently facing injury struggle due to an accident which has led him to stop his creative activities for the meantime, link for more details- https://www.gofundme.com/f/giuliocettorecovery ,
Mike Quigg, Mike is a well-known drummer around the Oakland music scene, playing freelance with a variety of Jazz, Funk and Soul groups, in addition to his regular trio, Bastet. He’s also got a wealth of musical experience as a practiced & educated drummer, bassist and pianist, Mike Rocha, Los Angeles-based music artist, expert arranger, and meme connoisseur Mike Rocha is a talented and charismatic force in this age of musical enterprise. Whether performing in formal orchestral settings, high-profile cinema appearances, in a jazz club with other dude(tte)s, or in costume singing and dancing, Mike is noted for his professional excellence and integrity. Currently plays trumpet in the Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band and Little Phat Band amongst many others and countless creative activities besides just this. Phillip Bailey Moncrease, multi-instrumentalist, singer and rapper out of Stockton, California, currently Director of Magnification; Worship, Music, Media and Creative Arts at Victory In Praise Church Stockton, Sean Britt, In 2013, Massachusetts native Sean Britt became the first guitarist in the Brubeck Institute fellowship program at University of the Pacific. He was a member of the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet (BIJQ), which Downbeat Magazine named the best undergraduate jazz combo in their Student Awards Poll in 2016. While in the BIJQ he performed with visiting artists including Christian McBride, Stefon Harris, and Chris and Darius Brubeck among others. Britt transferred to The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City where he received his BFA in Jazz Studies. He went on to receive a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music, class of 2019. Sean currently resides in New York City where he composes, performs and teaches privately. And many many more...
Rafael’s journey has been immersive and well traveled but when he left the northern valley to be LA based he found himself amongst people, such as, Charlie Haden, celebrated jazz bassist, composer, faculty and founder of the Jazz Studies Program at The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts in 1982, David Roitstein, American pianist and composer Jazz Program Director at California Institute of the Arts, Paul Novros, Jazz Faculty at CalArts, LA film producer, composer, and writer for Graphic Films, Larry Koonse, a globally respected and highly regarded American jazz guitarist, Joe LaBarbera, American jazz drummer and composer. He is best known for his recordings and live performances with the trio of pianist Bill Evans in the final years of Evans's career. His older brothers are saxophonist Pat LaBarbera and trumpeter John LaBarbera, Houman Pourmehdi, Iranian master percussionist, well known for his diverse abilities as a musician, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, performing and recording in numerous ensembles and at a variety of venues, World Music Performance: Persian Music, World Percussion Faculty at CalArts, Michael Pisaro, American guitarist and composer. A member of the Wandelweiser Composers Ensemble, he has composed over 80 works for a great variety of instrumental combinations, including several pieces for variable instrumentation, Darek Oles, Polish jazz bassist, composer, arranger, and educator, Andrew McIntosh, American composer, violinist, violist, and baroque violinist who teaches at the California Institute of the Arts, with musical interests covering a broad spectrum including historical performance practice, improvisation, microtonal tuning systems, long-form works, and the 20th-century avant-garde, Steve Lehman, American composer and saxophonist in the genres of jazz and experimental music. His compositions have been performed by a number of international performers and orchestras,
Ulrich Krieger, German contemporary composer, performer, improviser and experimental rock musician based in Los Angeles. Krieger's artistic work spans a broad field from contemporary classical composition and free improvisation to experimental fusion with electronic music, rock, metal and noise.
Aashish Khan, Indian classical musician, a player of the sarod. He was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006 in the 'Best World Music' category for his album "Golden Strings of the Sarode". He is also a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award,
Eyvind Kang, American composer and multi-instrumentalist. His primary instrument is viola, but has also performed on violin, tuba, keyboards and others. In addition to his solo work, Kang has worked extensively with Bill Frisell and John Zorn, Alphonso Johnson, American jazz bassist active since the early 1970s. Johnson was a member of the jazz fusion group Weather Report from 1973 to 1975, and has performed and recorded with numerous artists,
David Johnson, American composer, marimba/vibraphone soloist, percussionist and keyboard player. He is known for his unique touch and approach to new classical music, improvisation, and blending of jazz and classical sensibilities. David plays with a wide range of ensembles including PARTCH, XTET, the New Century Players, the Kim Richmond Jazz Orchestra, the Vinny Golia Large Ensemble, Dark Wing, Roger Williams, the Lian Ensemble and the Nate La Pointe Band. He was a member of the historic Blackearth Percussion Group and has worked with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, John Zorn, Pierre Boulez, Wadada Leo Smith, Yusef Lateef, Stuart Copeland, Green Day, Dave Brubeck, and the California Ear Unit among others, Andrew Grueschow, LA-based percussionist with an interest in music the world over. He has traveled to Ghana, West Africa several times, studying the music of the Ewe and the Dagombas, and recording traditional drumming for Zadonu Records, Vinny Golia, American composer and multi-instrumentalist specializing in woodwind instruments. He performs in the genres of contemporary music, jazz, free jazz, and free improvisation, Randy Gloss, A protégé of renowned percussion vanguard John Bergamo and longtime student of tabla maestro Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Randy Gloss is a percussionist whose background performing several modalities of hand drums, contemporary percussion, and drum set has led to his involvement in many innovative ensembles that fuse world music with new music and jazz.
John Fumo, American composer, trumpet and flugelhorn, artist. He maintains an active performing, recording, and touring schedule in addition to his CalArts and USC teaching. A trumpeter, who gained fame in the jazz world for his work with some of the top avant-garde jazz players of Southern California and who has been a busy studio and session player for decades, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Indian tabla player, He has accompanied several musicians of Indian classical music, including, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pandit Bhimshen Joshi, Pandit Jasraj, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and many more, Pirayeh Pourafar, Iranian musician, tar player, and expert on Persian music. Pourafar learned the radif as a student of Grand Master Ali Akbar Shahnazi at the Royal National Music Conservatory of Tehran. She has directed two successful Persian music ensembles, Nava Ensemble and Lian Ensemble, Kudsi Erguner, Turkish musician. He is considered a master of traditional Mevlevi Sufi music and is one of the best-known players of the Turkish ney flute, Art Lande, Grammy-nominated, is considered one of the premiere improvisational jazz pianists today, Bobby Bradford, American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, bandleader, and composer. In addition to his solo work, Bradford is noted for his work with John Carter, Vinny Golia and Ornette Coleman. In October 2009, Bradford became the second recipient of the Festival of New Trumpet Music's Award of Recognition.
Edwin Livingston, Bassist/Composer/Educator - He has performed and/or recorded with: Elvin Jones, Ellis, Delfeayo, and Jason Marsalis, The Headhunters, Los Hombres Calientes (Grammy nominated Latin Jazz album), Bill Summers, Munyungo Jackson, Donald Harrison, Jr., Alvin Batiste, Ronnie Laws, D.J. Logic, John Beasley, The MONK'estra, Otmaro Ruiz, Mike Garson, James Clay, Barbara Morrison, Queen Latifah, The Afro-American Chamber Music Society Orchestra, The Benjamin Wright Orchestra (Raphael Saadiq, Justin Timberlake, Will.I.Am, Brian McKnight, Mary J Blige, Aretha Franklin), Vince Mendoza, Bob Mintzer (Grammy nominated large ensemble album), Yellowjackets, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jovanotti, Keiko Matsui, Melody Gardot, Seal, Natalie Cole, and many others, Chris Speed, American saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer, a band member of The Bad Plus amongst many others,
Bennie Maupin, American jazz multi-instrumentalist who performs on various saxophones, flute, and bass clarinet, best-known for his atmospheric bass clarinet playing on Miles Davis' classic Bitches Brew album, as well as other Miles Davis recordings such as Big Fun, Jack Johnson, and On the Corner. He was a founding member of Herbie Hancock's seminal band The Headhunters, as well as a performer and composer in Hancock's influential Mwandishi band. Born in 1940, Maupin started playing clarinet, later adding saxophone, flute, and, most notably, the bass clarinet to his formidable arsenal of woodwind instruments. Upon moving to New York in 1962, he freelanced with groups led by Marion Brown, Pharoah Sanders, and Chick Corea, and played regularly with Roy Haynes and Horace Silver. He also recorded with McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Hill, Eddie Henderson, and Woody Shaw, to name only a few, Michael Skloff, best known as a TV & Film composer. Most notably he wrote the theme song "I'll Be There For You" for the hit NBC comedy series FRIENDS, for which he received an Emmy Award nomination. He was also nominated for an Emmy for the main title theme to HBO's comedy series DREAM ON, John Baffa, has been in the professional audio business for more than 25 years; primarily as a recording engineer. John has held positions on both the faculty and staff at the Herb Alpert School of Music at California Institute of the Arts since 2000. John is currently the Technical Director Performance Production as well as faculty within the Music Technology: Interaction, Intelligence and Design (MTIID) Specialization department. Over his career, John has worked with a diverse set of performers, mixing such artists as Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Trio, Johnny Cash, Mike Patton, Henry Rollins, The Melvins, Pulley, Ten Foot Pole, Vinny Golia, Ullrich Krieger, Vicki Ray, David Rosenboom, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Vonettes, Plotz, Dr Mint, Banyon, the Los Angeles Percussion Quartet, Anne Hall, Towse, and Ackland,
Heitor Pereira, a Grammy award winning Brazilian composer and musician who is one of LA’s major film scorers having worked with Hans Zimmer,
Chris Garcia, composer, multi instrumentalist, improviser, educator.continues to garner critical accolades and popular acclaim as a composer/multi instrumentalist/improviser/educator who continues to be invited to perform his compositions for various ensembles, with performances in 28 countries on 5 continents, Sulley Imoro, Master dancer and drummer, solo performer. Specializes in teaching and performing traditional drumming and dance from Ghana, Victor Nani Agbeli, Director of West African music, dance and song (Ghana) at the music department at Pomona College. Agbeli came to Pomona after teaching at CalArts and directing Kiniwe, the African drum and dance ensemble of Tuft University’s music department, as well as programs at Harvard University and the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Agbeli provides training in dance, drumming, language, song, production, direction, choreography and Anlo-Ewe drum languages. He is regarded as one of the top traditional Ghanaian dancers and drummers of his generation, known for his athleticism, precision, creativity and energy. He grew up in a family of professional dancers and drummers in the capital city of Accra and in Ghana’s Volta Region. His father, Godwin Kwasi Agbeli, founded the Dagbe Center in the village of Kopeyia, Ghana, a family-run school for traditional music, dance and textile arts where his older brothers teach and perform. For many years Nani Agbeli was the head teacher for the study tour groups who would come to study,
Scott Colley, American jazz double bassist and composer. He has performed in bands led by [[Herbie Hancock], [T. S. Monk]], Jim Hall, Andrew Hill, Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Pat Metheny, Carmen McRae, Edward Simon, Adam Rogers, Brian Blade, David Binney, Antonio Sanchez, Kenny Werner.
Jonathan Finlayson, has been recognized by the New York Times as an incisive and often surprising trumpeter, who is fascinated with composition,
Vardan Ovsepian, Armenia-born pianist/composer whose studies include Yerevan State Conservatory, Estonian Music Academy, Helsinki Jazz Conservatory, and Berklee College of Music. Performs solo as well as with artists such as Mick Goodrick, Tim Miller, Peter Erskine, Jerry Bergonzi, David Binney and Tatiana Parra. Tony Malaby, American jazz tenor saxophonist. Malaby was born in Tucson, Arizona. He moved to New York City in 1995 and played with several notable jazz groups, including Charlie Haden’s Liberation Orchestra, Paul Motian’s Electric Bebop Band, Mark Helias’ Open Loose, Fred Hersch’s quintet and Walt Whitman project, Michell Portal’s Birdwatcher, various projects with Daniel Humair and bands led by Mario Pavone, Tim Berne, Chris Lightcap, Kris Davis, Angelica Sanchez, Michael Attias and Marty Ehrlich. And many many more...
Raf Update 2022:
Currently since moving back from Los Angeles temporarily to Norcal Rafael Luna has been mostly doing teaching residencies around Northern California at various School Districts in the valley plus San Joaquin Delta College, a local community college, but with some opportunities to do creative work (either his own or of others) both in-person and virtually. Due to the constraints of COVID-19 and the Pandemic amongst other things in his life he had a lot of postponed activities that are just now gearing back up during this Summer 2022 and beyond Abroad. Still a California based artist for the time being but this will change within the next couple of months of which Rafael is not only super excited but has been diligently at work for this very purpose for almost 15 years since the start of his career but has slowly seen some light and fruits just in the last 5 years. Rafael Luna has always been around music and arts since he was age 5 but had officially embarked on his journey as a career musician at age 12 with his first professional instances beginning at just age 15, after that it's just been history and continuation of this creatives immersive experience.
I'm keeping this picture up anyways lol more below
Education:
Online Resume/CV (updated 2022) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafaellunamusic/
CV pdf and more below
| 2022_cv_-_rl.pdf |
| raf-_statement_of_research_and_scholarly_activity_and_interests.pdf |
| rafael_luna_-_diversity_statement.pdf |
| teaching_philosophy_-_rafael_luna.pdf |
| list_of_professional_references_-_rafael_luna.pdf |