attended a composition class at the Conservatoire National Supérieur in Paris, and later a course in composition and music information technology at IRCAM, which he completed in 2006. His teachers included Alain Gaussin, Brian Ferneyhough, Fausto Romitelli, and Philippe Manoury.
He has taught at the Conservatoire de Nanterre, the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC) in Barcelona, the Summer Courses for New Music in Darmstadt (2012, 2014, 2018, and 2021), Voix Nouvelles composition sessions at Royaumont (2012–16) and is regularly invited to give masterclasses and lectures in the United States, Russia and Europe.
From 2009 to 2011, he was a resident at the Villa Médicis, Académie de France in Rome. In 2007, he was awarded the Prix Espoir by the Francis and Mica Salabert Foundation at the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal International Composition Competition. In 2009 he received the Pierre Cardin Prize from the Académie des Beaux-Arts, and in 2011 and 2015 the Hervé Dugardin and Georges Enesco Prizes from the SACEM. In 2020 he was awarded the Silver Lion at the Venice Biennale.
Influenced by spectral music, contemporary and popular music, and composers such as Brian Ferneyhough and Fausto Romitelli, Raphaël Cendo puts forward the concept of saturation or saturated music. A concept of excess, the important thing is to go beyond pure sound, the absolute control of the note, the interpretation by new complex sounds: “The saturated phenomenon in the field of acoustics is an excess of matter, energy, movement and timbre.” After creating instrumental saturation, Raphaël Cendo invented the concept of reconciliationism, which makes it possible to combine timbres, tonal chords and instrumental gestures in a single work.
His works have been performed by internationally renowned performers and ensembles such as Klangforum Wien, Tana Quartet, Linea, Dal Niente, Alternance, Cairn, Ictus, Intercontemporain, Itinéraire, musikFabrik, the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, Either/ Or, Yarn/Wire, the Diotima Quartet, Orchestre National d’Îlede-France, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Munich Radio Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Les Percussions de Strasbourg, and many others.
He has taken part in numerous events, including Ars Musica in Brussels, the Venice Biennale, Darmstadt, Donaueschingen, Mito in Milan, Musica, Présences at Radio France, the Tremplin concerts at the Centre Georges Pompidou, Voix Nouvelles at Royaumont, Why Note in Dijon, Archipel, Musica Strasbourg, Festival Présences, and was the protagonist of a composer portrait at New York City’s Miller Theater.
Selected works: Scratch Data for percussion and electronics (2002), Rage in the Heaven City for large orchestra (2004), Masse– Métal for 25 musicians (2005), Action Painting for 15 musicians (2005), Décombres for clarinet, double bass and electronics (2006), Octa 7 for harp and electronics, to a choreography by Olivia Grandville (2007), Tract for seven musicians (2007), Action directe for bass clarinet and ensemble (2007), Refontes for six percussionists and electronics (2008), Introduction aux ténèbres for bass, double bass, ensemble and electronics (2009), Charge for seven instruments and electronics, to a video by Paolo Pacchini (2009), Furia for piano and cello (2010), Faction for piano, percussion and electric guitar (2011), In Vivo for string quartet (2008–11), Shadow for six singers (2011), Rokh for flute, piano, violin and cello (2013), Registre des lumières for 30 singers, 16 instruments and live electronics (2013), String Quartet no. 2 Substance (2013), Graphein for ensemble (2014) Direct Action for two pianos and two percussionists (2015), Radium for seven performers (2015), Control for flute, tenor saxophone, piano, percussion and electronics (2016), Denkklänge for orchestra (2016–17), Delocazione for string quartet and vocal quartet (2017), Oracles, opera for voices, bass flute, horn, percussion, cello, double bass and electronics (2018), Le jour juste avant l’océan for three ensembles (2018), Individua for organ and extended choir (2018), Berlin Toccata for quintet and electronics (2019), Ars satura for flute, saxophone, percussion and piano (2019), Homeless Carrera for saxophone quartet and electronics (2020), Double Cheese Passions for voice, ensemble and electronics (2019–20), Drive [In] Theory for tuba and electronics (2021), Coffin Bubbles Blue for electric guitar, synthesizer, ensemble and electronics (2021), Another Path for percussion and electronics (2024).