“Spirited and fiery performance”, “A young musician with a bright future” (Toronto Star).

“The youthful mastery of Hoekman on the cello quickly became apparent and his playing predominated in this work” (Brockville Recorder and Times).

“Hoekman, who plays cello with apparent ease” (Bellville Pioneer)

“Undoubtedly someone to watch”, “wonderful sense of lyricism” (St. John’s Telegram)

Rafael Hoekman grew up in St. John’s Newfoundland and began his musical training with his parents at the age of three. His principal teachers were Theo Weber in St. John’s, Yuli Turovsky in Montreal, and he completed his Master’s Degree with Shauna Rolston at the University of Toronto. He has since established himself as one of Canada’s most versatile cellists, finding success as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player, and teacher.

As a soloist, Rafael first attracted attention by winning First Prize at the Orford International Competition in 1998.  This award led to performances of the Boccherini Concerto with I Musici de Montreal and a subsequent CD on the Amberola Label.  In quick succession, Rafael garnered awards from competitions including the Montreal Symphony Competition, the CMC Stepping Stones Competition, and the Debut Young Artists Competition.  In 2004, Rafael won the audience award and the second prize in the Quebec Symphony’s Canadian Concerto Competition. In addition to performing with I Musici de Montreal, Rafael has appeared as soloist with the Quebec Symphony, the Newfoundland Symphony, Sinfonia Toronto, the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the Etobicoke Philharmonic.

As a chamber musician and member of the Tokai String Quartet, Rafael has won the Felix Galimir Chamber Music Award and the Sir Ernest MacMillan Grant for a young Canadian chamber ensemble. The Tokai Quartet was the sole Canadian representative at the 2004 Banff International String Quartet Competition. Rafael’s chamber music performances have been featured on several national broadcasts for the CBC. In 2006, he collaborated with pianist Mathieu Gaudet and Clarinetist Jean-Francois Normand for a Jeunesses Musicales Tour of Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.

As an orchestral musician, Rafael was a member of Orchestra London from 2003-2005, and is presently principal cellist of Sinfonia Toronto.  He can frequently be heard playing with the Toronto and Detroit Symphony Orchestras.  As a teacher, Rafael has been invited to serve on the faculties of the Kincardine Music Festival, Southern Ontario Chamber Music Institute, Silver Creek Festival, and Music at Port Milford. 

Rafael plays on a 1956 Giuseppe Lucci cello kindly on loan from the Banff Centre for the Arts.

 

Rafael's biography also available in MS Word format