Rafael Baier
baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Rafael Baier graduated with honors from Berklee College of Music Boston and Hochschule für Musik und Theater Zürich in Performance and Composition. He studied saxophone with George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Bill Pierce and composition with Greg Hopkins and Ken Pullig.
He leads the electro-jazz sextet Metamorphosis, successfully mixing up electronic beats and jazz improvisation. In 2009 the bands second CD „Solitude-feat. Ingrid Lukas“ was released in the renowned German edition „Jazzthing next generation“. The band got exciting reviews form public and press for their appearances at Palatia Jazz Festival and Intern. Jazzfestival Burghausen. The bands debut recording entitled „metamorphosis“ was released in 2005 on altrisuoni records.
Rafael Baier produced several crossover shows, multimedia spectacles, dance theatres and regularly composes theater music.
He has received several awards and scholarships. In 2010 he received a grant from Aargauer Kuratorium. Earlier awards include a BEST scholarship at Berklee College of Music, a six-month stay in the city of Prague awarded by Aargauer Kuratorium in 2004 and his recognition as a Pro Argovia Artist in 2009.
He’s also a sideman in „Kellers 10“, Andreas Winkler’s „Der Don und die Giovannis“, den „Sentimental Gangsters“ und den „Baritone 5“.
Rafael Baier teaches saxophone and big band performance at Kantonsschule Wettingen and works as a composer and producer for UKO.
