Student Spotlight: Rafael Heredia The flamenco percussionist is channeling the vibrant music scenes of Japan and Spain in his musical explorations at Berklee, and offers a refreshing take on looking within for inspiration.
By
Keerthana Sudarshan
October 2, 2024
Image by Kelly Davidson
What's it like to study at Berklee? Our Student Spotlight series asks current students all about their Berklee experience-what they're learning in class, what kinds of projects they're involved in onstage or behind the scenes, how they recharge, and of course, what they're listening to. In this installment, get to know percussionist Rafael Heredia, a sixth-semester electronic production and design (EPD) and composition major from Hiroshima, Japan. His rich flamenco heritage and an inherently curious and explorative mind have led to some exciting new projects, including his trio Intersync, which creates a unique blend of traditional sounds and electronic music.
Follow Rafael on Instagram.
Tell us about your path to Berklee. What made you decide to come here?The Spanish side of my family, including my father, grandfather, uncle, and aunt, are all professional flamenco artists-percussionists, singers, and dancers. My mother, who is Japanese, is also a dancer. So, it was natural for me to learn flamenco growing up, and I performed on stage for the first time at age three.
I started working as a flamenco percussionist when I turned 15 in Japan. At age 18, I was fortunate enough to be asked to work with a popular flamenco company in Spain and tour with them. The work came to a standstill during COVID-19, so I acted upon my desire to formally learn music and applied to Berklee.
Although I had originally applied to Berklee Valencia, Fernando Huergo, the professor who auditioned me, encouraged me to apply to Boston instead, and somehow things panned out.
Given Berklees vibrant international community, how do you think that your roots and cultural origins have played a part in your Berklee journey so far?Berklee boasts a uniquely curious and open-minded community of students. My Spanish heritage deeply connects me to the Latin culture at Berklee, while my Japanese heritage connects me to the Japanese students.
Despite the stark differences between both cultures, I have been met with a lot of interest from all my peers here. Feeling so welcomed has greatly helped in my musical growth and has allowed me to remain open-minded while honoring my flamenco culture.
Whats been your favorite class so far, and what has it taught you?My favorite classes were Conducting 1 and Conducting 2 with Kristo Kondak i, who is a wonderful conductor and teacher. His class is full of inspiration and changed me as a musician. Through conducting, he taught us how to work on anxieties and insecurities and become confident and empowered musicians.
Whats a project youve worked on since coming to Berklee that youve been especially excited about?Recently, I founded a trio called Intersync, with Arman Wali on keys and Dexter Callender III on saxophone, born out of the necessity to experiment. We create a unique blend of traditional sounds and electronic music. We're seeking newness from this experiment and nothing else, which is personally an exciting direction in music exploration.
Rafael Heredia (center) plays with his ensemble, Intersync.
Image courtesy of the artist
How do you typically recharge or find new ideas outside of class?I prioritize good sleep and set aside time to do nothing; these are essential for me to recharge and come up with new ideas. Conversing with people whom I admire, about music and beyond, also helps inspire me a lot.
When you think towards your future, who inspires you most?I have been working on deepening my connection with myself. Nothing is more important than my relationship with myself, and when I focus on this, it helps propel me along my journey and inspires me to pursue a future in music.
Whats one piece of advice youd give to your high school self?I would tell my high school self to trust the process and know that I will meet incredible people along the way. But I would also advise myself to start ear training earlier on.
Rafaels Top Five Songs Right NowWe asked Rafael to tell us his favorite songs of the moment. Heres what he said:
1. The Wind, Keith Jarrett '67I heard this tune when I was about 15 and it blew my mind. It is one of the primary reasons I wanted to study music.
Keith Jarretts New Album Features Unheard Gems
The first single from The Old Country takes us back in time while still making a vital addition to the pianists influential catalog.
Listen now.
2. Hikoutei ( ), King GnuThis one is just a blast and hypes me up. The lyrics are great!
3. Antonia, Paco de LuciaWhen I was five, my dad encouraged me to play this tune on percussion. It was challenging but it is such a beautiful piece and I fondly remember it.
4. The Way Up, Pat MethenyThe entire album tells a compositional story. Its a masterclass in composition, illustrating how to connect pieces seamlessly. This album is a must-study in jazz popular music, as its both written and improvised within a contextual narrative.
5. Huelva City, Sandra CarrascoShe is one of my favorite singers in the world and is a great example of traditional flamenco-style singing. Ive had the honor of performing live with her; she is one of the best!
Related Categories
News
Student Spotlight
Most Popular
Jim Lucchese
Image by Kelly Davidson
Jim Lucchese Named Berklee's Fifth President A 20-year music industry veteran and a committed artist advocate with deep Berklee roots, Lucchese sets the tone for a new era at the institution.
Latest
Farayi Malek
Image by Najee Visuals
Signature Series Presents Country Music: Black Roots and Branches New Dangerfield, Dom Flemons, Donna McElroy
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
09/10/2026
September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026
New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
29/09/2026
Oak View Group (OVG) has announced Cisco as an Official Technology Partner, with plans to standardize infrastructure across its venue network on Cisco solutions...
29/09/2026
SportsNet Pittsburgh (SNP) won three honors at the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
Program awards went to Bucs BP in the Sports Program Live category (produced ...
29/09/2026
The Professional Women's Hockey League has announced home openers for all 12 teams for the 2026-27 season, along with a broadcast partnership with CBC under...
29/09/2026
Manifold technologies has been recognized as a contributor to the Media eXchange...
29/09/2026
FuboTV has announced My Local Sports, allowing subscribers in select markets to add their local regional sports network (RSN) as an add-on to a Fubo Sports subs...
29/09/2026
Asian News International (ANI), a wire agency and video news provider based in India, has deployed Grass Valley's AMPP Media Operating System and Framelight...
29/09/2026
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has deployed Ikegami UHK-X600 cameras as part of an upgrade to IP-based production infrastructure. The deployment ...
29/09/2026
REMI, REMCO models will drive the bulk of the broadcaster's NHL productions ...
29/09/2026
Three years in, the facility is supporting more centralized race production, com...
29/09/2026
NBC, Peacock, and NBSN are carrying all four Wild Card series with a production ...
29/09/2026
19 Nonfiction Projects Across All Stages of Production to Receive More Than $1 million in Support as Documentary Film Program Approaches 25th Anniversary
LOS ...
29/09/2026
Two new plug-ins launch alongside updated bundles
Zynaptiq have just announced the launch of two new plug-ins, alongside new and improved versions of two of...
29/09/2026
All-in-one bus processor revealed
Wes Audio's ng product range has come a long way since it was first introduced, and now includes a tasty selection of ...
29/09/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Ikegami announces that the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, has chosen Ikegami UHK-X600 camera systems as part of an advance to IP-based operation ...
29/09/2026
Blendkit Offers 20% Discount to Celebrate Crossing 150K Asset Milestone
Brie Clayton September 29, 2026
0 Comments
Blendkit, the largest 3D asset libr...
29/09/2026
Interactive streaming specialist Ease Live supported more than 76.5 million fan sessions across three major European media operators during this summers FIFA Wo...
29/09/2026
Ease Live has added support for VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) to its graphical overlay technology, opening up new ways for broadcasters, streamers and rights...
29/09/2026
Rise AV has announced the launch of the inaugural Rise AV Awards, a new global awards programme celebrating the women, advocates and organisations across the AV...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Clear-Com announced that First Baptist Nashville has upgraded its production communications with a Clear-Com intercom solution as part of a comprehensive sanct...
29/09/2026
Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K Captured Action Shots for Sketch
Brie Clayton September 28, 2026
0 Comments
Camera's portable design and dynamic range...
29/09/2026
Kean Production Services Deploys AJA ColorBox to Deliver Consistent, Accurate Co...
29/09/2026
Berklee Alumni and Faculty Nominated for the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards A total of 28 Berklee alumni and faculty earned nominations across 20 categories this ye...
29/09/2026
Berklee's K-Pop & Beyond Explores Connections Between K-Pop and Hip-Hop Now in its fifth year, the series brings together artists, industry leaders, and s...
29/09/2026
We tend to think we live in a digital world, with hopes and fears around artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, data centres and the next big technolo...
29/09/2026
Today, in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Apple relea...
29/09/2026
Final Cut Camera, the professional filming app for iPhone, receives a major upda...
29/09/2026
RT lyric fm is proud to announce the annual Choirs for Christmas competition callout. Warm up those vocal chords and join us on RT lyric fm for a celebration ...
28/09/2026
The NHL has announced Adobe as an Official Creative, Marketing and AI Partner beginning with the 2026-27 season. The partnership will provide the league and its...
28/09/2026
MultiDyne will exhibit at CABSAT 2026 (October 5-7, Dubai Exhibition Centre), showcasing an expanded technology portfolio following its June 2026 acquisition of...
28/09/2026
ARRI and HONOR have announced the HONOR Magic9 Pro Max, a flagship smartphone carrying ARRI branding on the device and packaging as the first product-level expr...
28/09/2026
Net Insight has added the Nimbra 1020G to its pan-Asian live media trial network, giving customers and partners in the region a way to evaluate ST 2110 and JPEG...
28/09/2026
Vindral has been named a recipient of a 2026 Technology and Engineering Emmy Award by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in the category of We...
28/09/2026
Interra Systems will exhibit at CABSAT 2026 (Stand B2-37, Dubai Exhibition Centre, October 5-7), demonstrating its BATON QC platform, ORION monitoring solutions...
28/09/2026
Two years into its new production facility, the TOUR is expanding centralized wo...
Student Spotlight: Rafael Heredia The flamenco percussionist is channeling the vibrant music scenes of Japan and Spain in his musical explorations at Berklee, and offers a refreshing take on looking within for inspiration. 
