Rafael Joory was born in Hong Kong in 1974 and educated in the United Kingdom, where he earned a degree in Mathematics and Philosophy. He began studying piano at the age of five and remains a keen amateur pianist. Over time, however, his interests shifted toward composition, which he has pursued regularly and passionately since the age of fifteen, albeit outside a professional career.
In the early 2000s, Rafael's professional career brought him to New York, where he lived for fifteen years. During this period, he further developed his compositional skills through private lessons with Jonathan Dawe at The Juilliard School.
Rafael's compositional output consists almost exclusively of large-scale, multi-movement chamber works. His catalogue includes two piano quartets, two piano quintets, one piano sextet, one string quintet, two string sextets, one string octet, one piano trio, three piano sonatas, a Sinfonia Concertante for piano and string ensemble, and a Concerto Grosso for strings and woodwinds.
His musical language is deeply influenced by the great composers of the Romantic era, from Beethoven and Schubert to Brahms, Bruckner, and Mahler. Rafael's ultimate ambition is to make a meaningful contribution to this extraordinary musical tradition by creating new works for those who share his love of the Romantic repertoire. He hopes to offer something fresh to listeners who, despite having explored and continually returned to its timeless masterpieces, still yearn for new music to discover.
