Born in Ibiza, Spain, to Filipino parents, Rafael began studying flute at age 8 under Joana Moragues at the Ibiza Conservatory. His passion was further nurtured by teachers like Anikó Pusztai and Vicens Prats at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona. His determination and eagerness to learn took him to study at the Musikhochschule in Munich and work with Prof. Andrea Lieberknecht and Natalie Schwaabe, Joseph Singer (piccolo) and Marion Treupel-Franck (baroque flute).

Rafael Adobas rounded out his education with a year as an academist at the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, where he was even assigned as Principal Flute multiple times due to his outstanding performances. From then on, he has been invited to collaborate with the flute section of esteemed orchestras such as the Berliner Philharmoniker, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester in Hamburg and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. Starting in September 2025, Rafael Adobas will begin a new chapter as Principal Flute of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the resident ensemble of Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík.

In 2019, Rafael won 3rd Prize and the Prize for Best Interpretation of the Commissioned Piece at the Carl Nielsen International Competition in Denmark, performing as a soloist with the Odense Symphony Orchestra and the Copenhagen Philharmonic at the Odense Koncerthus. Other notable solo performances include appearances with the Münchner Kammerorchester at the Isarphilharmonie in Munich, Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock at Audi Zentrum Rostock and Ensemble Resonanz at Die Glocke in Bremen.

Recognized for his engaging performances, he is a fellow of PE-Förderkreis and Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now. Since 2022, Rafael has also received support from Villa Musica Rheinland-Pfalz and Yamaha Europe scholarships and is an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow (Hezekiah Foundation).

In 2023, Adobas was honored with the "Ani ng Dangal" award by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA). This award recognizes the outstanding achievements of Filipino artists who have honorably represented the country by earning top accolades in international competitions and events within their respective fields.

A proud advocate of his cultural heritage, Siemens Arts Program hails him as a representative of a new flute generation, seamlessly integrating his music making together with other arts forms. Rafael Adobas’ mission is to make music accessible to all, celebrating differences and uniting people through the profound language of art.