ABOUT
Nominated for the Latin Grammy as a classical composer, Rafael is an award-winning arranger, orchestrator, music director, producer, and educator. He had works premiered and recorded by artists such as the jazz legends Terence Blanchard, Chick Corea, and Brad Mehldau, renowned Brazilian artists such as Ivan Lins, Romero Lubambo, Proveta, and ensembles such as Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo (Brazil), Symphony of the Americas, Metropole Orkest (Netherlands) and Costa Rica National Orchestra.
RESUME
Nominated for the Latin Grammy (2013) as a classical composer at the age of 27, Rafael has a degree in Classical Composition and Brazilian Jazz Studies from UNICAMP (São Paulo, Brazil). He has a Master of Music Degree in Studio Jazz Writing and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Jazz Composition, both from the University of Miami. During his 5 years at the University of Miami, Rafael worked as a composer and assistant conductor at the Henry Mancini Institute receiving the ASCAP Foundation Henry Mancini Music Fellowship.
As a composer and arranger, he had works premiered and/or recorded by artists and ensembles such as the jazz legends Brad Mehldau, Terence Blanchard, Chick Corea, Gregory Porter, rock star Steve Miller, Latin pop star Jon Secada, renowned Brazilian artists such as Ivan Lins, Romero Lubambo, Proveta, Zélia Duncan, and Mart'nália, and ensembles such as Symphonic Jazz Orchestra (Los Angeles), Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo (Brazil), BMI NY Jazz Orchestra, Camerata Latino Americana (São Paulo, Brazil), UNICAMP Symphony Orchestra (Campinas, Brazil), Metropole Orkest (Netherlands), Costa Rica National Orchestra, Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra (Miami), and Campinas Symphony Orchestra (Brazil).
As a conductor, Rafael was one of five young conductors selected to participate in the Brazilian TV contest ”Prelude” for classical musicians, conducted many of the ensembles which have performed his works, and lead 4 ensembles to win graduate student Downbeat Awards: Henry Mancini Chamber Ensemble, Frost Recording Ensemble, Frost Salsa Orchestra, and Rafael Piccolotto de Lima Large Ensemble.
As a researcher, Rafael was a FAPESP fellow with the work: "The Brazilian BIG BAND – Samba compositions and arrangements by Nailor Azevedo (Proveta) for Banda Mantiqueira" and wrote "Blurred Distinctions; Beyond Third Stream – A Study in Composition of Confluent Hybrid Musical Styles: The Amalgam of Jazz and Classical Concert Music" as his Doctoral dissertation.
Other awards include a total of 13 DOWNBEAT Awards (as a bandleader, recording engineer, composer for small and large ensemble, and arranger), an honorary award on the Symphonic Jazz Orchestra commission competition, ASMAC Pete Rugolo BIG BAND Arranging and Composing Competition, ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award twice, JEN Student Showcase Award, ARS BRASILIS national arrangers contest in tribute to Milton Nascimento, and the first place in the Ricardo Rizek Latin American Composition Contest II for young composers.
CURRICULUM VITAE
MEDIA & PRESS
"At each listening, you hear something new and inspiring. This recording is innovative, sophisticated, and filled with the rare optimism of two masters in full flight."
- Wynton Marsalis, 2021.
"Piccolotto conjures a cornucopia of sonic textures."
- Downbeat Magazine, 2022.
"A true leader"
- Metropole Magazine, Brazil, 2019.
"Prodigy from Campinas"
- Absoluta Magazine, Brazil, 2016.
"Rafael is known for his crossover of styles, creating true hybrids"
- Carnegie Hall program notes, New York, 2014.
“A Renaissance artist with a great future”
- Gary Lindsay for Score Magazine, Miami, 2014.
"Rafael is considered one of the classical music revelations in the country"
- Correio Popular newspaper, Brazil, 2014.
“A rare talent, skilled in the arts of composition and conducting”
- Prelúdio TV show, Cultura Channel, Brazil, 2010.
(Brazilian national competition for young musicians)
AWARDS
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2018 – BMI NY Jazz Composers Workshop finalist (Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize): Raiar.
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2017 – BMI NY Jazz Composers Workshop finalist (Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize): Negative Space.
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2017 – ISJAC (International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers) symposium selection: Negative Space.
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2017 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: Best Studio Recording Engineer.
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2017 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: Best Arrangement: Jumble.
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2016 – Medalha Carlos Gomes.
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2016 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: “outstanding studio orchestra arrangement” (Spanish Suite, featuring Chick Corea and Terence Blanchard)
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2016 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: “outstanding Latin ensemble”: Rafael Piccolotto de Lima Large Ensemble
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2016 – George Duke Commissioning Competition (Symphonic Jazz Orchestra): Second place (Trickster)
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2015 – ASMAC Pete Rugolo BIG BAND Arranging and Composing Competition: Honorary Award (Abertura SubUrbana)
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2015 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: “best small ensemble composition” (Especiarías Búlgaras)
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2015 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: “outstanding Latin ensemble” (as conductor of the Frost Salsa Orchestra)
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2015 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: “outstanding studio recording engineer”
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2015 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: “outstanding live recording engineer”
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2015 – ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award, (Balance Shift)
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2014 – ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award, (Fables of Mingus)
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2014 – JEN Student Composition Showcase award winner, (Quebra-cabeças)
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2014 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: “outstanding large ensemble composition” (Brookmeyer Motives)
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2014 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: “best studio recording engineer”
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2014 – Brazilian Press Award (Bossa Nova Sinfônico)
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2013 – Latin GRAMMY nomination as “best classical composer” (Abertura Jobiniana)
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2013 –ARS Brasilis National Contest for arrangers (Brazil) in tribute to Milton Nascimento: 3rd place
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2013 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: “best Latin ensemble” (as conductor of the Frost Recording Ensemble)
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2013 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: “best classical ensemble” (as conductor of the Henry Mancini Institute Chamber Ensemble)
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2012 – Downbeat magazine graduate student award: “outstanding small ensemble composition” (Transfigurações Brasileiras)
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2011 – One of the 30 Brazilian musicians selected artists to participate in the RUMOS national program, sponsored by ITAU Bank
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2010 – One of the five selected conductors to participate in the Prelúdio competition (a classical music contest for young musicians realized by the Brazilian national TV Cultura)
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2009 – 1º Place in the II Latin-American Composition Award Ricardo Rizek for young composers (Pelos Ares)
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2008 – Winner with the Rafael de Lima Quartet of the FURNAS: GERAÇÃO MUSICAL III Award in the State of São Paulo – category: Instrumental Music
