Spanish-Filippino, Rafael Adobas Bayog, Wins Principal Flute in Iceland
Spanish-Filipino flutist Rafael Adobas Bayog gained international recognition as the 1st Prize winner of the 2022 Kobe International Flute Competition. His performances combine music with singing, theatre and other artistic forms, creating immersive performances that connect audiences across genres and backgrounds. Since 2025, he has been Principal Flute of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and has collaborated with orchestras including the Berliner Philharmoniker, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.
Can you tell us a little about the audition process you went through before winning the Principal Flute position in Iceland?
I first came to Iceland for a week as a guest player at the end of 2024. I didn't go through the traditional route of taking an audition: the orchestra had previously held three auditions and invited several candidates for trial weeks but they had been unable to fill the position. They therefore decided to take a different approach and seek out a suitable candidate without holding formal auditions. It was thanks to Emmanuel Pahud that I came here, as he mentioned my name when the orchestra asked him for recommendations.
Some months later, at the beginning of 2025, I received an email inviting me to join them for a formal three-week trial period. It came at exactly the right moment, during an intense transition period in my life, so I felt ready and excited. Those were very special weeks with our chief conductor, Eva Ollikainen, playing my first Mahler symphony (the Ninth!), Stravinsky's Firebird and Bruckner's Fourth Symphony.
A few days after the last concert, I got a call from my dear colleague Áshildur Haraldsdóttir. They had just finished the jury meeting to decide whether I would be offered the position, and she asked me, "Would you like to be my colleague?" I was so happy to say YES!
So after the summer, I moved to Reykjavík for the final stage of the process: a longer trial period that lasted a little over six months. During that intense time, I grew and learned so much. I played an incredible amount of music and received supportive feedback throughout the entire process.
The big news came during a week working with Barbara Hannigan, who will become our next Chief Conductor from September on. I remember it as a whirlwind of emotions and it took me some time to fully process it: I had just been appointed Principal Flutist of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra! It was an incredibly special moment and I will never forget the celebrations afterwards with colleagues, family and friends.
Has it always been your dream to be the Principal Flutist of a symphony orchestra?
It came with time. When I was a kid growing up on the island of Ibiza, I honestly didn't consider that playing in an orchestra could be a way to make a living. I just knew I wanted to be on stage, play music and travel as much as possible. It was when I arrived in Germany for my exchange year as a student that I began to see the endless possibilities. I started attending concerts and opera performances on a weekly basis and that really opened my eyes.
Until I got this job, I was very happy playing solo recitals, chamber music, teaching from time to time and preparing for major flute competitions. During my studies in Munich, I also had the opportunity to guest as Principal Flute with renowned orchestras and I enjoyed the flexibility of having different stimulating projects coming my way.
At some point, however, my teacher Andrea Lieberknecht told me that I could develop my sound and musical imagination even further if I played regularly with an ensemble. That idea stayed with me and only then did I really start wanting to explore that path. I am so happy that I get to do it now in Iceland, in a very welcoming atmosphere with wonderful colleagues. After some time of travelling around, it's a nice feeling to have a routine, go to the same workplace every day and perform many of the standard orchestral works and solo excerpts that I spent years practicing.
What do you think are the most important steps to acquiring such a post?
Tastes vary from orchestra to orchestra, so I'm afraid there are no specific steps that guarantee a position. There are certainly different opinions on this, but I would say that the most important thing is to spend time improving every aspect of your playing, both technically and musically so that you can perform at your best under pressure on the audition day and/or trial period. It's also important to invest in a good instrument that represents YOU and your musical voice as well as possible and to work with mentors who can offer valuable advice on your playing. Recording myself regularly has also helped me to be more analytical in the practice room rather than on stage. And the most important thing: building a healthy inner voice on stage that helps you deliver your best.
That said, being a good colleague and a good human being is just as important as being well prepared. One shouldn't forget that people want to sit next to someone who is pleasant and easy to be around for the next years of their life.
What are your goals personally? Professionally?
On a personal level, I'd like to stay connected with the people I care about most and to be more present in the moment. As time goes by, everyone’s life moves so fast and it can be hard to keep track of everything. But I am a big fan of living fully and nurturing personal connections is a natural consequence of that.
Professionally, I'd like to keep myself creative and inspired day by day. It's very important to me to challenge myself, to think about things differently and to find solutions based on what I need in the moment. I can't wait to grow in my role in the orchestra. I think it will give me wings and will shape even more my artistic voice.
What inspires you the most in life?
My family and my friends inspire me the most. The way they keep going despite difficulties. Each and every one of them is unique: they have their own qualities and I admire their strengths. My parents, for example, travelled from the Philippines in search of a better future. They met in Ibiza, where they have built what will be their next chapter of life, far from their loved ones. They are my greatest inspiration and they have passed many values to me that serve as my compass when taking decisions.
What has been your greatest challenge?
The transition from student life to professional life was quite overwhelming. No one really teaches you how to manage solo engagements, how to present to present yourself as an artist, all the admin work that's behind (reaching out to the concert promoters, concert programming, writing invoices) and the list goes on. In the end, you just have to learn by doing.
What is the most exciting thing in your life right now?
Exploring the next landscape Iceland has to offer. Especially when friends come to visit or when my orchestra colleagues suggest going on a road trip or a hike. I always feel so energized afterwards.
I have to say, catching the northern lights is something unique since you don’t see them every day and it’s not easy to catch them. Even when you go out to dark places, you might not see anything and then suddenly they appear unexpectedly over the city or even from your own balcony. And for a very short time. You just have to be in the right place at the right moment.
Right now, I’m experiencing summer in Iceland, where at night it never gets fully dark and there’s a very special light in the sky. That is also something truly unique.
Luckily, I can sleep with or without daylight...
What are you completely bored with right now?
Everything around me feels fresh at the moment so, honestly, very few things bore me. Travelling is nevertheless a bit of a hassle and, since we are on an island, I can only travel by plane. So the endless logistics around travel and schedules, as well as waiting around, can easily feel a bit boring.
What is keeping you busy these days?
I love spending time at the pool and brainstorming for possible creative projects.
The public pools in Iceland are big part of the culture. They are a social space where people relax and connect, thanks to the country’s geothermal energy. There are hot tubs at different temperatures, cold plunges, steam rooms and saunas. I often spend my afternoons there without realizing how much time has passed. The hours spent there can be so inspiring too. It's so cool to sit and think about basically anything. When I arrived, I felt very drawn to the sense of community and folk traditions here. There is a strong effort to preserve cultural identity and I’ve already witnessed colleagues and people in the streets sharing songs and dances. The Filipino community here is also very present. I’m active in a choir and I’ve met traditional folk dancers who are interested in collaborating. I’m sure many ideas will come from all of this and I can't wait to give them shape.
One habit you wish you could break?
Scrolling on social media. It’s so easy to lose track of time. It does take a bit of willpower to step away from it... anyways, I guess it’s part of these times.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
I wish I could teleport anywhere in the world at any time. So many amazing places to see and so many historical moments to witness... Also so many people to visit who are miles away. It would also definitely help all the boring waiting times while travelling disappear.
What is one thing you wish you knew at 19?
That growth takes time and that everyone moves at their own pace. There’s no need to follow anyone else’s timeline.
What is your spirit animal?
It has to be something similar to a wolf. As time goes by, I feel that being independent and away from home is only possible thanks to a deep connection and loyalty to my circle. Otherwise, nothing would really work.