Rafael Pacheco

Rafael Pacheco was born on February 3, 2000, in the city of Portimão.
He began learning to play the fado guitar at the “Boa Esperança” fado school, encouraged by his grandmother in 2012.
Unlike today, he had no interest in the genre: he went to school to learn about and simply learn the instrument. But his interest grew as he heard the fado singers sing and the Portuguese guitar being played.
From then on, he became a regular at the fado nights that were also held at the group: at first listening and, later, playing alongside the musicians.
In 2013, he had his first jobs as an instrumentalist, replacing his teachers at the fado school.
In the 2015/16 school year, he began studying classical guitar on the professional course for string and keyboard players at the Escola da Bemposta, in Portimão.
At the same time, he began to learn Portuguese guitar on his own.
Later, he took some lessons with the master Custódio Castelo.
From 2018 onwards, he began to attend Lisbon's fado nights and to get to know the scene through Ângelo Freire.

Since then, he has accompanied important names in the fado scene – Maria da Fé, Lenita Gentil, Gonçalo Salgueiro, António Rocha… He has played in the most famous fado houses, including “O Faia”, “Clube de Fado”, “Adega Machado”, “Café Luso”, “Mesa de Frades”… treading important stages in Portugal and abroad.
He is one of the promising names of the new generation of guitarists, winner of the AGEAS - Casa da Música 2023 New Talents award (the first and only Portuguese guitar instrumentalist to receive an award).
He is currently a resident musician at Sr. Vinho.