Rafael Bittencourt

Rafael Bittencourt
Born	October 22, 1971 (1971-10-22) , São Paulo, Brazil
Genres	Power metal Progressive metal Heavy metal
Associated acts	Angra Bittencourt Project
Website	Official website

Rafael Bittencourt (born 22 October 1971) is a Brazilian guitarist, composer and co-founder of the band Angra.

Biography

With a very broad formation, Bittencourt studied with the best guitar teachers in Brazil and other countries. In the USA, he played with a big band and in 1988 was awarded with the Louis Armstrong prize as the best soloist.

Bittencourt took part in many choirs and different areas of dramaturgy. In 1996 he graduated as Composer and Conductor by Faculdade de Artes Santa Marcelina in São Paulo. Involved by the academic atmosphere, he formed a heavy metal band that mixed his Latin roots and erudite formation, writing plays and collecting ideas for the project that later would be known as Angra.

For three years he taught Language and Musical Structuring in the School of Music and Technology and advanced guitar techniques in Souza Lima conservatory. In 2002 he was awarded as the best guitarist by European website 21stCenturyMetal and his name is always present in specialized magazines' awards for best guitarist and composer in the genre. Was a columnist of Cover Guitarra and Guitar Class magazines and collaborated with Guitar Player magazine.

Today, beyond his activities with Angra, he is a musical producer and tours Brazil having workshops on his composing style and guitar playing, managing a successful group, studio and live performance experiences, harmony, structure, perception and much more. He is endorsed by YAMAHA (electric guitar), EGNATER (amplifiers), NIG (strings), BOSS (pedals), AudioTechnika (microphones), M-AUDIO music production gear and DiMarzio guitar pickups.

Discography with Angra

• Reaching Horizons (Demo Tape, 1992)
• Angels Cry (Album, 1993)
• "Evil Warning" (Single, 1994)
• Holy Land (Album, 1996)
• "Make Believe (I, II, III, IV)" (Single, 1996)
• Freedom Call (EP, 1996)
• Holy Live (Live EP, 1997)
• "Lisbon" (Single, 1998)
• Fireworks (Album, 1998)
• "Rainy Nights" (Single, 1998)
• "Acid Rain" (Single, 2001)
• Rebirth (Album, 2001)
• Rebirth World Tour - Live in São Paulo (Live, 2001)
• Hunters and Prey (EP, 2002)
• Temple of Shadows (Album, 2004)
• "Wishing Well" (Single, 2004)
• "The Course Of Nature" (Single, 2006)
• Aurora Consurgens (Album, 2006)
• Aqua (Album, 2010)

Discography as Bittencourt Project

• Brainworms I (2008)

External links

• Rafael Bittencourt Official Site
• Angra Official Site