ROBERT MACFARLANE - TENOR
‘Before starting working with Rafael, I was contemplating taking a step back from my professional Opera Career. While I was still sustaining a full calendar of activity as a character tenor, there were too many doubts and question marks in my technical approach. Within 3 sessions with Rafael on the mechanical principles of James McCray/Arturo Melocchi I felt like my prayers had been answered. Here was a teacher who gave me solid answers to my questions without reverting to nonsense imagery or over-complex pseudoscience. Rafael is such an affable and approachable guy who made me understand both my unique difficulties and the commonalities we all share in vocal physiology. Since beginning with Raf I feel that I am developing a proper vocal identity again rather than hiding behind my attributes as an actor and musician. This came to fruition less than 6 months into my work with Raf, when I had the opportunity to sing my first Cavaradossi in a touring production of Tosca. Cast changes meant that I had to sing the role 6 times in 8 days - which I did without any major fatigue. This would have been unthinkable prior to my work with Rafael. There are no gimmicks or slick veneer, what you get with Rafael is truly useful and compassionate guidance without any ego or ‘guruisms’ - no miracle cures or bandaids, just a thorough, well thought out pathway to greater vocal beauty, ability and stamina. The fact that he is a truly lovely, humble human being tops it off.
MARK HEARN - BARITONE
Over the past 25 years, I have studied voice with many distinguished teachers—from world-renowned opera singers to celebrity coaches. Many reference the Bel Canto tradition, yet few can explain and demonstrate its principles as clearly and effectively as Maestro Rafael Vazquez.
Maestro Vazquez possesses a profound understanding of vocal anatomy and a direct pedagogical lineage tracing back to the master teachers of opera’s Golden Age. He blends this deep knowledge with his experience as a professional operatic tenor to teach in ways that are both practical and illuminating. His method enables students to produce free, resonant, and beautiful sound—without strain or effort.
In just a short time under his guidance, my top range has expanded by a third, I’ve experienced the true feeling of appoggio, and I now understand the essence of the authentic operatic sound on a physical, kinesthetic level.
I enthusiastically recommend Maestro Vazquez to singers of all levels, from beginner to professional. His dedication to preserving and transmitting the true Bel Canto tradition—one voice at a time—is nothing short of inspiring. My only regret is that I was not ready sooner - Bravo, Maestro!
ANASTASTASIIA SIDOROVA - MEZZO SOPRANO
Working with Rafael has transformed my singing. He trains singers like athletes—every session is specific, targeted, and focused on what the vocal cords are actually doing. His approach is straightforward and direct, with zero fluff and clear, practical guidance. Since starting with him, I’ve made steady, noticeable progress, and my voice is much stronger and more reliable. If you want real results with a teacher who gets right to the point, Rafael is the one.
LORENZO CABEZAS- TENOR
Soy cantante profesional y llevo más de dos años con el Maestro Rafael Vázquez. Desde que aprendo su técnica no sólo ha mejorado la calidad y el sonido de mi voz, me permite realizar mi trabajo con salud vocal.
Básicamente su técnica, sus enseñanzas y su esencia han cambiado mi vida profesional. En el pasado dos noches seguidas cantando ya perjudicaban mi voz. Ahora tengo semanas de cinco noches seguidas cantando y sin problemas.
Lo recomiendo al mil por cien para quien quiera mejorar su voz y utilizarla durante muchos años.
Gracias Maestro.
MAUREEN DAVIS - SOPRANO
The Silver Swan, who living had no note, when death approached, unlocked her silent throat.”
That was me when I found Rafael four months ago - the silent throat.
My spirit had been so broken after more than two decades of failing to learn and apply confusing vocal pedagogy - what’s crazy is that I actually started with a low larynx and a decent chest voice, but when I moved to Los Angeles in 2004, I was told by every teacher I encountered: low larynx is dangerous, chest voice is ugly, to breathe into my back, and sing through my eyeballs. It was counter to what I’d initially learned, but I was relatively young and inexperienced, and I couldn’t find anybody to tell me otherwise.
Needless to say, I seemed to be constitutionally incapable of both breathing into my back AND singing through my eyeballs, and I began to think I was not only defective and untalented, but delusional. And the more I tried to do what I was taught, the tighter my throat and diaphragm became, the weirder my singing faces, and the smaller my voice - to the point that nobody could hear me from a stage, and if they did hear me, I was being mocked for my distorted resonance. In 2014, I gave up performing, and commenced to die inside: I would spend the next 11 years mostly not singing at all (because my voice had become virtually dysfunctional), going down rabbit hole after rabbit hole, in search of how to reclaim my low larynx sensation - which had become a very distant memory.
Fast forward to May of 2025 - Melocchi made its way into my algorithms, and lo and behold! The very first video I saw of Rafael was maybe one minute long, and he was demonstrating his glottal strokes - I got a full body YES - THIS IS WHAT I MEAN - I went through his library, watched the voice lesson with his young soprano student, and that was it for me.
Two weeks later, I started lessons with Rafael, and I’ve been making actual observable progress every week since that first lesson. I haven’t made observable progress since 1995! My chest voice started feeling really comfortable after a few weeks, and singing became enjoyable again. By the third month, I was able to feel and repeat the laryngeal pivot - as a result of the exercises he teaches. It’s month four now, and the U Vowel Iceberg is starting to click in. I can’t wait to see how big my voice can actually become. Thank you, Rafael!!!
DASHIELL WATERBURY - TENOR
Rafael is not only the reigning master of the Melocchi Technique, he is a true pedagogue with a fantastic ear and a set of tools he applies as skillfully as a surgeon. He destroys vocal myths left and right and restores the true bel canto technique. In a world of questionable information and singing fads, Rafael holds a connection to the true ancient art of singing, backed up by scientific fact at every turn and always delivered with warmth and genuine understanding for the singer’s struggle.
LIVIA BRASH - SOPRANO
“Rafael is an exceptional singing teacher who stands out from the crowd. Unlike many who guard old-school singing knowledge, while simultaneously lamenting the state of modern opera, Rafael is refreshingly transparent and generous with his time and expertise. With his remarkable ears, he can make subtle adjustments even during online lessons. He is also one of the most empathetic and supportive teachers I’ve ever had. He completely transformed my singing from the mask singing I learned in the conservatory to an old school pharyngeal style within just two months, and I have never sung better. Rafael’s passion for this artform is infectious and evident in everything that he does. If you want to learn “Tecnica Antica” with zero BS, look no further- Rafael is the teacher for you.”
IONUȚ ROȘU - BASS
My voice has always gotten me in trouble with teachers, right from the first grade. Even if the whole class was chatting, I was always the only one scolded. That amplified even more in high school. So, I was made aware that my voice had some particularities. I was always louder than the other kids, without having that intention. My physics teacher from 11th grade even suggested I should sing opera. That is why after graduating from high school, I decided that I would pursue the dream of becoming an opera singer. That's when I auditioned for the local conservatory and was admitted.
After four years in university and thousands of hours of listening to the greatest singers, I knew what real opera should sound like, and while my voice developed, I knew I wasn't capable of singing full operas in big theaters, so I was confused and frustrated.
Then, I took the matter into my own hands. After doing some research about vocal technique for opera on YouTube, I randomly came across Mr. Vázquez's channel and I was hooked. I watched his videos for full days, being mesmerized by all the knowledge I'd missed throughout my years in university. Then I found out that he also gave private lessons. Without having any expectation, I reached out to him via email, explaining my situation and asking for help.
After receiving a positive answer, I cannot describe how excited I was! I couldn't wait to get started. I even started doing the exercises he demonstrated on the YouTube channel on my own and seeing results. But after beginning the lessons? I couldn't believe the sounds my voice was capable of making. It felt like I was given back something that had always belonged to me, but it was taken away without my awareness. So I felt that for the first time, I was on the right path, and my dream of becoming an opera singer was starting to take shape.
I will be forever grateful for the knowledge and tools Mr. Vázquez has given me, and I recommend him with all my heart to anyone that is in the same position I was in: confused, lost, and frustrated.
SPENCER DARBY - TENOR
My name is Spencer; I’m a tenor from Australia. I have historically sung early music and choral repertoire, but recently I was introduced to Raf via one of his students, who strongly encouraged me to see Raf for an online session. I had stopped singing regularly for over a year, after feeling that I had plateaued. Without realising it, I had slipped into a kind of apathy about singing. In barely 10 minutes Raf relit the fire in my belly, reigniting my interest in technique, repertoire, and just the simple joy of vocalising. Not only this, but 6 months down the road and I am exploring more challenging and adventurous repertoire than I have ever managed before. He is far and beyond the best singing teacher I have ever had, in part because he distills technical needs down to their simplest form, but also because he manages to maintain the pedagogical integrity of his explanations without leaning on vague metaphors or ambiguous imagery. Not only is his approach to imparting technical knowledge of the highest quality, but on a personal level he is extremely kind, professional, and personable. I only wish I’d been introduced to him sooner.
REINOSUKE KUSANO - TENOR
I have been a student of Mo. Rafael Vazquez over the past two years, and I am confident in saying that his teachings have been an immense blessing for my voice.
Mo. Vazquez is concise and effective during his instructions, and knows the ins and outs of the voice like no other. Within just a couple of notes, he can immediately analyse the challenges that a student is facing, and consequently draw out the true nature of their voice to its fullest capacity. The way he appropriately adapts his teaching method and approach for every single one of his students, depending on their voice and range, and even personality and temperament, is simply a sight to behold.
Additionally, Mo. Vazquez has armed me with not just a powerful and solid vocal technique, but also an extensive knowledge of music in general. His insight and experience of the operatic world is worth a fortune; he will immediately be able to clear any doubts or questions that one has, about anything from singers and singing to performance and repertoire.
One often says that a good singing teacher must be able to both teach and demonstrate the principles and applications of his technique, and Mo. Rafael Vazquez is the paragon of this motto. Studying voice with him over the past two years has been one of the greatest privileges of my musical career, and I cannot speak highly enough of him.
ELISABETH GARCIA - SOPRANO
During my more than ten years of vocal training, Rafael is the only teacher I’ve met who truly understands and teaches old-school vocal techniques. This aligns perfectly with my original intention of studying Italian bel canto: to learn the techniques of the golden-age masters. I feel incredibly fortunate to have finally found him.
Before meeting Rafael, I had many teachers, spending a lot of money and time, but the results were disappointing. As a baritone, I struggled to sing above E4, often cracking or failing to complete an entire piece. Just as I was losing my passion for singing, I met Rafael. His method is based on a low larynx position and fully opening the throat and pharynx. With this approach, you can achieve vocal power without sacrificing beauty. Within the first month, I was able to break through to G4 and even A4. Over time, I could reach high C—an extraordinary feat for a baritone. Most importantly, I could sing repertoire , something I hadn’t been able to do before.
Beyond that, Rafael is not just an excellent vocal teacher but also a passionate, generous, and humorous friend. He’s simply the best.
PETER KÜHN -BOLD -BARITONE
Nach einigen Jahren als professionelle Sängerin steckte ich in einer Stimmkrise. Rafael war der erste Gesangslehrer, der merkte, dass mir die Tenorrolle besser lag als der Bariton. Mit dem gleichen guten Gehör arbeitet er daran, mir die stimmlichen Macken zu nehmen, mit denen ich mich im Laufe der Jahre im Musiktheater durch höhere Passagen getrickst habe, die ich nun aber mit meiner vollen Stimme einsetzen kann. Nach einiger Zeit beschlossen wir, dass die beste Vorgehensweise darin besteht, wieder in das Baritonfach zurückzukehren, allerdings mit mehr Engagement und höherer Tesitura. Rafael ist ein Lehrer, der wirklich auf die besonderen Bedürfnisse jedes einzelnen Schülers eingeht. Dadurch macht der Unterricht nicht nur Spaß, sondern zeigt auch schnell Ergebnisse.
BORAN HU - TENOR
During my more than ten years of vocal training, Rafael is the only teacher I’ve met who truly understands and teaches old-school vocal techniques. This aligns perfectly with my original intention of studying Italian bel canto: to learn the techniques of the golden-age masters. I feel incredibly fortunate to have finally found him.
Before meeting Rafael, I had many teachers, spending a lot of money and time, but the results were disappointing. As a baritone, I struggled to sing above E4, often cracking or failing to complete an entire piece. Just as I was losing my passion for singing, I met Rafael. His method is based on a low larynx position and fully opening the throat and pharynx. With this approach, you can achieve vocal power without sacrificing beauty. Within the first month, I was able to break through to G4 and even A4. Over time, I could reach high C—an extraordinary feat for a baritone. Most importantly, I could sing repertoire , something I hadn’t been able to do before.
Beyond that, Rafael is not just an excellent vocal teacher but also a passionate, generous, and humorous friend. He’s simply the best.