Rafael Kyrychenko, a winner of numerous international prizes, was born in the Azores and began his studies at age 5 with his mother, Cristina Pliousnina. He won his first international prize at age 8 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Since then, he has earned awards in Denmark, Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Estonia, San Marino, Cyprus, and the United States. Rafael has studied with renowned teachers such as Philippe Entremont, Dmitry Bashkirov, and Maria João Pires, and has participated in prestigious masterclasses.