LaRob K. Rafael is the Founder and Artistic Director of Hearing in Color, a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to amplifying historically misrepresented voices through programming, commissioning, and community-centered performance. He is also the Founder and Artistic Director of Chroma, the organization’s resident vocal ensemble, where he curates performances that center storytelling, cultural memory, and vocal excellence.

A dynamic speaker, curator, and lecturer, LaRob collaborates with institutions including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Grant Park Music Festival, and Evanston Symphony Orchestra. His work explores the intersections of race, culture, and history in classical music, inviting audiences to reconsider the canon and their place within it. He has led community engagement initiatives at Lyric Opera of Chicago and serves on the boards of the Chicago Philharmonic and Picosa Ensemble.

LaRob served as Artistic Director of the 2025 Ear Taxi Festival, curating one of Illinois’ largest commissioning initiatives. A 2021 Sphinx LEAD fellow and 2025 Sphinx MPower Artist Grant recipient, he currently serves as Director of Composer Advancement with the American Composers Orchestra, advancing bold, community-rooted approaches to new music.