Maria Raffaele's passion for music began at an early age in her hometown of Arlington, Virginia in the United States, where she studied clarinet, piano, oboe and voice. At Carnegie Mellon University (USA), the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (CH), with the Jeune Orchestre de l'Abbaye aux Dames and at the University of Poitiers (FR), she obtained bachelor's and master's degrees in modern oboe and ancient oboe. During this period, she was able to benefit from the teaching and advice of great musicians such as Katharina Arfken, Antoine Torunczyk, Philippe Herreweghe, Sigiswald Kuijken, Alfredo Bernardini and Lorenzo Coppola.

Maria has built a career combining performance on both ancient and modern oboes. She plays regularly with a number of ensembles including Les Folies Françoises, Insula Orchestra and Le Concert de l'Hostel Dieu. A committed and enthusiastic chamber musician, in 2016 she and keyboardist Robert Selinger founded the Svapinga Consort, a period-instrument ensemble based in Munich, which she still leads today alongside fellow keyboardist Sofya Gandilyan.

In 2018, she began doctoral studies in musicology at the University of Poitiers. She also teaches oboe as part of the Demos Project at the Philharmonie de Paris. She is also a freelance translator and graphic designer.