Rafael Tarjuelo is a native of Consuegra, Toledo. He began his bandurria studies at the age of eight as a part of the rondalla for the “Rosa del Azafrán” choir and dance group. He later became the musical director of the group at the age of fifteen. In 2007, he won First Prize in the soloist competition at the Miedzynarodowy Folklore Festival in Zakopane, Poland.

Tarjuelo studied Plectrum Instruments at a professional level under the guidance of Caridad Simón, Pedro Chamorro and Fernando Bustamante at the Professional Conservatories Alcázar de San Juan – Campo de Criptana and Arturo Soria in Madrid, where he was awarded the Prize of Honor. He continued his studies at the Manuel Massotti Littel Superior Music Conservatory in Murcia under professors Luis Giménez and Mari Carmen Simón, where he graduated with honors.

Tarjuelo has regularly taken part in advanced instrumental and chamber music training courses under professionals including Pedro Chamorro, Fernando Bustamante, Gertrud Weyhofen, Agostino Cirillo, Joaquín Riquelme, Pedro Mateo González, Kostas Tosidis, Ricardo Gallén and Leo Brouwer, among others.

He has been part of various chamber music and plectrum orchestras such as Ciudad de La Mancha Orchestra, EGMYO (European Guitar and Mandolin Youth Orchestra), Roberto Grandío Orchestra, Modern Mandolin Orchestra, and the Murcia Regional Plectrum Orchestra. He is currently a member of the trio PlecTres. 

Among Tarjuelo’s collaborations that stand out are those with the OSCyL, Verum Symphony Orchestra, Cuenca Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra, and Symphony Orchestra of Madrid (the Royal Theatre’s titular orchestra), with whom he has taken part in various symphonic productions, from opera to zarzuela. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning his participation on the singer Francisco’s album 35.

In the area of education, Tarjuelo has worked as a Plectrum Instruments and Chamber Music teacher at the Alcázar de San Juan – Campo de Criptana Professional Conservatory. He is currently a civil servant status teacher specialized in music in the secondary school system in Castile – La Mancha.