TRÓPICOS.

Knurl, voice and electronics.

In a world marked by geopolitical divisions, cultural borders, and colonial legacies, “Trópicos” , formated as a multicultural performance, proposes a positive reconnection between territories through art, technology, and cultural diversity. Combining voice, musical narratives in four languages (Portuguese, English, Spanish, and Dutch), and the original instrument Knurl, the artist invites the audience to reflect on the contemporary challenges of globalization—such as sustainability, cultural identity, and technological autonomy — from the perspective of emerging tropical regions.

This work a gesture of creative resistance and an invitation to imagine collective futures. By transforming the Knurl into a symbol of independence and the stage into a space of multiple meanings, the project questions imposed segmentations and proposes a common language—where technology, rooted in local knowledge, becomes a bridge, not a border.

Tropicos is a cooproduction of Rafaele Andrade & Silbersee.

*Winner of the Alpine Fellowship international music award*

#musicconcert #globalization #knurl #singing #multiplelanguage

Sound energy haverst.

Knurl & FAAB

Could you harvest energy through the sound of an electro-acoustic instrument? Sound Energy Harvest is a light-based music performance between Knurl and FAAB based on the processes of energy harvesting and storage, and reflecting on renewable energy sources. In this experience, we harvest electricity through the vibration movement of our instrument and transform it into light.

#improvisation #sustainability #instruments #interfaces

#classicmusic #openair #sustainability #birds

Missa dos pássaros.

Knurl, Choir, organ, Strings

The Mass of the Birds is a site-specific outdoor music composition that encourages bird activity through classical and electronic music and the local fauna. This Mass composition is guided not by traditional liturgy, but by the calls of birds, creating a lively, organic interaction between nature, sound, and the audience.

The composition incorporates the Knurl, a unique 3D-printed instrument of my design, which combines organic timbres with electronic percussion resonances. The piece includes choral music and sounds from an ancient organ from a former Dutch monastery, fusing ambient, mechanical, and human voices into a living soundscape.

The work was designed for outdoor spaces and invites the audience to observe the interaction of the local fauna, experiencing how the birds respond and, at times, echo the sounds. The result is a dynamic exchange between nature, performer, and listener, evoking peace, deep listening, and renewed presence. This work was developed during a residency at a Dutch monastery in 2025.

Develop during the ARCADE residency (Steyl, 2025)

#interaction #participation

This isn’t solo.

Knurl, Audience

In "This Isn’t Solo," the audience manipulates the music layers of an instrument. This unique show mixes up the usual roles of musician and audience. Four people from the audience use cello bows to help create the music, acting like conductors of sounds recorded from a unique instrument, called Knurl. With the musician's guidance, these participants will follow blinking lights and help shape the music as it changes and evolves.

#exhibition #visualart #sustainability

Super organism.

Knurl

Super organism is an album and multisensorial performance about the importance of micro fungal networks. The project is part of acollaboration for the interdisciplinary project of Suzette Bousema. She collaborated with other artists, designers and scientists by producing different artistic outcomes for her related exhibitions. 

We worked together with Merle Bergers to produce a whole multi sensorial performance and music album with visual art, smell and sound. 

Morph.

DrumsCode, Knurl

Morph is a performance for knurl, drums and live coding, a collaboration between Rafaele Andrade and Timo Hoogland. In the performance Rafaele (knurl) and Timo (drums) create various sonic textures by connecting their instruments together via live coding. The code is project and mapped into a surface visible to the audience, so the public can watch their digital interactions. During the progression of the piece they explore how an instrument can extend beyond itself and morph into one larger instrument by controlling each others sounds. 

#creativecoding #sounddesign #improvisation

Dead zones.

Knurl/cello, voice, violin and electronics.

The project "Dead Zones", by visual artist Suzette Bousema and musician Rafaele Andrade, focusses on addressing the critical issue of dead zones in coastal areas. Through a live music performance they explore the environmental impact of micro-algae blooms fueled by agricultural fertilizers, livestock manure, and sewage overflows. Their aim is to elevate awareness about the nitrogen and climate crisis resulting from human activities.

They have developed a 30-minute performance in collaboration with visual programmer Aart Odding and the violinist Coraline Groen with the support of the opera production Silbersee. Within the performance, Bousema and Andrade guide their audience on a metaphoric diving session in one of the Netherland’s dead zone areas, located in Veerse Meer, Zeeland. The story starts at the ocean’s surface and ends at the ominous ocean floor, raising questions about humanity's impact on the ecosystem. For its future development, the creators plan to deepen the connection between the performance and its local environment. By

intertwining the narrative with specific locations, they aim to make the abstract environmental issues more tangible and personal for the audience. To contribute to the project's multidisciplinary approach, Bousema and Andrade partner with production house Silbersee, instrument inventors initiative and a network of international scientists

*Winner of open call Waterwende by Silbersee *

#shadowtheater #sustainability #projectionart