Raphaella Smits plays worldwide in her unique way on eight-string guitars and historical instruments. She has been praised as ‘an uncommonly musical guitarist’ (Tim Page, New York Times), ‘Une Grande Musicienne’ and ‘one of the most sensitive and cultured performers of our time’ (Jean Bernard, Diapason, FR).
In 2019, she received a unique award “Por su aporte a la Guitarra y la Cultura” in Argentina at the Festival Guitarras del Mundo.

In addition to stage-work, Raphaella Smits has realized 25 albums, many of which are listed as indispensable to refined music lovers. To this day, she continues to produce new, valuable recordings.

Raphaella Smits is widely acclaimed as an inspiring pedagogue for both guitar and chamber music. She taught at the Lemmens Institute / LUCA School of Arts in Leuven, Belgium, from 1986 to 2022. Now, she continues to give regular masterclasses in Europe, in North and South America, and in Japan.

Organizers of international music competitions request Raphaella as a member or as president of the jury because of her exceptional and unbiased judgment and her empathetic afterthoughts with the candidates.

Raphaella studied classical music at the Royal Conservatories of Antwerp and Brussels. Simultaneously she went to José Tomàs to perfect her playing at the “Catedra Andrès Segovia” in Spain. At that time she already gave her first concerts and became a convincing advocate for the eight-string guitar.

In 1986 Raphaella Smits was the first woman to win the first prize of the “XX Certamen Internacional de Guitarra Francisco Tarrega”, the famous international guitar competition in Benicasim, Spain. That victory confirmed the progression of a successfully started career, after previous prizes in competitions in Granada and Palma de Mallorca.
The jury presidents, Segovia and Narciso Yepes, both expressed their admiration for Raphaella’s musicality and prophetically espressed confidence in her future achievements.

Since winning First Price at Fundación Guerrero Guitar Competition and the Musical Youths of Spain Competition, his concert career has quickly developed in more than forty countries performing in some of the most prestigious international halls, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Radio France Auditorium in Paris, Auditorio Nacional (Madrid), Palau de la Música Catalana (Barcelona) or the Lutowslasky Auditorium (Warsaw).

As a result of his interest for modern creation and contemporary music Àlex Garrobé has established frequent associations with many composers and premiered several unknown works. Among his many collaborations as a soloist with orchestra are the premieres of the Mare Nostrum Concerto, by Salvador Brotons, …di un soffio d’aura, by Agustín Charles and the Concierto de Petrer by Simone Iannarelli among others.

Alex Garrobe received a doctorate in art history and musicology from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and has been professor at Centro Superior de Música del País Vasco (MUSIKENE) and the Catalan Music College (ESMUC) where he currently holds the professorship in guitar and chamber music. His teaching has produced several first- prize winners in international competitions. He has presented master classes in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Norway, México, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United Kingdom and United States.

He has released eight CDs on the labels Harmonia Mundi, Naxos, Opera Tres, Columna Música and JSM Guitar Records. After listening to his CD dedicated to British composers, Sir Malcolm Arnold expressed the opinion that it was: “A masterly interpretation”, to which he added “It is gratifying to hear one’s music played so superbly”.