Faculty Spotlight: Rafael Jeri
What's your main instrument?
That’s a little hard to say since bass, guitar and singing are my biggest passions in life, but I will say guitar since that was the 1st instrument I learned to play.
What's your musical origin story? What lit the spark for you?
I grew up with music of 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s in a musical family. I remember listening to my great-grandfather playing and singing Peruvian folklore music. The whole family used to gather to sing and play different instruments. That’s when I fell in love with music. Later on, at the age of 10, I started guitar myself and played for my local church until the age of 15. Then I began to take lessons with a private teacher. At the age of 17, I begun to take vocal and bass lessons at a music college in Peru. Around this time, I got hired by one of the most popular tropical bands in Lima Peru and we toured all over the country. I did that for about 6 years and then I moved to America to follow my musical dreams. I played and led worship for a few churches in Kansas, taught guitar, bass, & vocal lessons, and then in 2023 I graduated from Full Sail with a degree in music production.
Can you share a good gig story?
I have hundreds, but when I was touring in Peru, we had to play in a big festival that was in a city located in the mountains almost 4000 meters above sea level. I couldn’t finish the show because of altitude sickness. They had to take me to a clinic for a lack of oxygen. It was very brutal singing and playing in cities like those.
Tell us about your practice routine and share some practice tips.
To be honest, I don’t have the same practice routine that I had when I was younger. Kids, family, and all the responsibilities of a parent & professional adult takes a lot of my time, but I try to practice at least 2 hours a day or every other day. I used to practice 5 to 6 hours every day when I was single and when I worked full time in music touring and playing for different bands. My tip will be to make sure to find and organize your time for practice in a quiet place and free of distractions, especially cell phones and TV.
What drew you to the Music House team?
The need to mentor and teach. I believe that it's very important to pass on knowledge and experience to the new generations. I’m glad to have found Music House — an organization that shares my philosophy and musical standards.
