Raphael B. Enriquez, Sr. grew up in Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Mexico – lands very rich in their own musical traditions. In the early fifties, he was introducing "Afro Cuban" music to the world as vocalist and percussionist with the Perez Prado "Mambo King" orchestra.

In the sixties, he studied music at the University of Southern California (USC) for three years, where he trained with one of the greatest vocal scientists in the world, William Vennard, and studied "Opera Techniques" and "Conducting" with Dr. Walter Ducloux.

To further his musical knowledge, in the seventies, he obtained a bachelor's degree in music from California State University, Los Angeles. In the nineties, he returned to CSULA for his postgraduate studies, this time emphasizing in "Choral Music."

It is this long history of musical experiences that Enriquez enjoys sharing with youth and his students so that they may enrich the rest of their lives.