Raquel Martínez
Raquel’s Biography
Raquel Martínez was born on April 7 in the Island of Manhattan, New York to the parents Pastor Irenio Martínez and Mrs. Ramonita Martínez. Her parent’s heritage comes from the country of Spain and the Canary Islands. At an early age, her parents moved to the Island of Puerto Rico looking for tranquility, simplicity of life and a place where their children could grow up safe and healthy; spiritually, mentally and physically.
She had two siblings; her older sister Esther and her youngest brother Irenio Jr. II. It was a privilege for her to be able to grow up in the country where she was always surrounded by nature, the beautiful mountains, grass lands and fields of sugar Cain, with wild flowers, butterflies, typical birds of the island, domestic animals of the Island, rivers and brooks, where she learned about the wonders of God’s creation and His power through her contact with nature.
This atmosphere of wonders and tranquility and her direct contact with animals and nature, helped Raquel to develop a sense of nobility, kindness, humility and a high sensitive perception for other people’s needs, suffering, pain, sorrow and a high respect for God’s nature.
Her simple country life style and growing up as a vegetarian, which she learned from her parents, helped her to, somehow, excel in everything she did at school and in the community. Her early education was always at Private Christian Academies where she reinforced her knowledge about God, about how to live a life of community service helping others, about leadership and about international missionary projects of aid that exist to help the less fortunate and the poor.
She also learned about the positive impact that a Christian education has in a person’s life and also attained general education knowledge. From an early age, inspired by her surroundings, her parents and siblings, the book of Psalms and stories of the Bible, Raquel started drawing, painting, writing poetry and writing the lyrics and melodies of many songs.
Since her father was a Christian minister, she grew up surrounded by music and singing in a trio with her mother and sister and later her brother and father. They had a wonderlful quarted. Her first experience as a singer and as a performer started at her local church when she was three and four years old singing a duet with her sister Esther. Eventually, she got used to growing up singing live in front of audiences with hundreds and thousands of people.
Everywhere her father held evangelistic meetings and gatherings, Raquel was always invited to sing and perform solos, duets with her sister or trio with her mother and sister. Later she went to the University of The Antilles where she became a member of the Choir for every year she attended at the College.
Raquel had the opportunity to travel around the Island singing and performing in many churches, Ricon de Borinquen Summer Camp, at the University of The Antilles, community events, in the radio station of “Radio Paraiso” and in the radio station of “Radio Sol” during her early years as a teenager.
Later on, when she was 13 years old, her father bought her a guitar and a book with guitar chords. Since that day, her thirst for music made Raquel teach herself guitar and learn many chords only in one week, which led her into her first live performance with her guitar the following weekend during a baptism at a big church in Lares, Puerto Rico. It was a success! Since that day, she continued to play guitar and writing new lyrics and melodies for new songs.
One day, her father received a call to work as a minister for the Northeastern Conference of New York, in the area of Boston Massachusetts, after news had spread of his success as an Evangelist in the Island of Puerto Rico, baptizing more than one hundred people per year for several years in a row. The entire family was transferred to the United States from the Island of Puerto Rico.
Raquel immediately enrolled as a student for her senior year at Greater Boston Academy where she became a member of the Academy Choir that traveled through many cities and finally had the privilege to be invited to sing at the Cathedral Church in Washington, DC of United States. This change gave Raquel the opportunity to sing in many new churches, metropolitan areas and Summer Camps.
This are some of the new places that she started performing: Victory Lake Camp of the Northeastern Conference in New York, at the Berkshire Camp of Greater New York Conference, at the Camp Winnekeag of Southern New England Conference in Massachusetts, at Camp Kulaqua of Florida Conference, at English Camp Meetings, Spanish Camp Meetings, at the Summer Camp of Georgia Cumberland Conference, at the big Christian World Wide Pathfinder Camporee of “Faith on Fire, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin of 2004 and many others.
During her early career, Raquel traveled singing and performing with her guitar through the states of Boston, Rode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York city, Tennessee, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin and the state of Florida.
At the Southern University in Collegedale, Tennessee, she was able to take music theory, voice lessons, guitar lessons and some piano. Raquel was also a member of the choir at the Southern University of Collegedale, Tennessee. She also became one of the founders and music Directors for the Christian Singers; “Creation.” The Creation Singers started with eight members with voices that were carefully chosen to sing in the group. They were able to travel and sing live in Tennessee, Georgia, New York and Florida.
Raquel was later accepted to study for two years at the Julliard School of Music in New York City, United States of America. During her stay in New York city, she participated in a songwriting competition titled; “The Concert of The Song,” in which she needed to be not only the Author of the lyrics and music of the song, but also be able to sing it and perform it live and with real musicians in front of renowned judges and a real live audience in Broadway, New York. Her song titled; “Miracle of Love,” written by Raquel and dedicated to her son was one of the top prices of the competition. In New York City, she had the opportunity to sing live, at the Christian Radio Station Program of “Luz en El Camino,” in New York City.
When she moved to Lancaster Massachusetts, she became member of the choir at Atlantic Union College. The choir did extensive traveling and singing around the North and East coast of the United States. She was later accepted as a member of the Chamber Singers at the Thayer Conservatory of Performing Arts in Lancaster, Massachusetts.
The Chamber Singers members were specially selected voices that traveled and performed in front of large audiences and at times their concerts were televised. Raquel received a scholarship for her voice, to pay for her education during the years that she was a member of the Chamber Singers at The Thayer Conservatory of Performing Arts.
When the big 3ABN Television Network was going to be launch on the air for the first time, Raquel was present singing as a member of the selected Chamber Singers of Thayer Conservatory of Performing Arts. They were chosen to sing live at the big 3ABN historical event because of their known and distinguished Excellency in their performances and meticulous selective Chamber’s music.
During that time, she was also raising four children; her son and three daughters and sisters, that were taken in by Raquel as part of her family when their mother passed away with cancer. In Lancaster, Massachusetts, she was the founder and Director of the children music choir known as; “Praise Kids.” Her four children were also members of this choir.
The Praise Kids choir gave many Christmas concerts in the state of Massachusetts for the community at large, specially for children. These concerts were performed, televised and transmitted live through the radio and television networks in Worcester, Massachusetts. Raquel’s “Praise Kids” choir also performed live at the Machlan Auditorium of Atlantic Union College, as a charity fund raiser to help the poor children in the community and to build a church for the community.
Raquel finished her school and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in “Life Sciences” at Atlantic Union College. After she finished her Bachelors degree in Life Sciences and a Minor in Professional Medical Interpreting, she was accepted in the Pathology Program at the University in Providence, Rhode Island. She finally graduated as a Cytologist and worked for a while diagnosing cancer.
Later on, she moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and started working as a Science teacher and as an Elementary School teacher at the Bilingual School of Broward Junior Academy where she also started a children’s choir. Raquel donated her music talents to the Academy and participated in a Christmas Music Concert fund raiser to benefit the Bilingual School of Broward Junior Academy.
On December 26, 2008 she was contacted through her page on “My Space” and was invited to Munich, Germany for an interview. The Supreme Master Television Representatives wanted to know more about why she sang Christian music and why she was a vegetarian? She was allowed to sing live and to express to the public the importance of being a vegetarian and what was the purpose of her music?
At her interview she expressed that she wanted her heavenly music to make a positive impact in the world making people realize that we are here to show God’s love and to help others; the less fortunate, the sick, the abused and the poor. She was invited to Munich, Germany by Wonwilai Rackandee a representative of the Supreme Master Television. They gave her the opportunity to share her music singing live during the celebration of The Chinese Coming of The New Year of 2008.
In Munich Germany, she also met the founder of WEMA-HOME. Raquel had been praying and waiting for God to lead her into finding something that would give real meaning and purpose to her Christian Music Ministry. In Germany she met the founder and a friend of WEMA-HOME, Marianna Betza. Marriana had involved all of her time, her life, money and energy rescuing children from slavery and abuse and as a result, a little village gradually started forming in Benin, Africa only because of her love for others, her dedication and persistence.
Raquel is a formal and active member of ASCAP, the Amercian Societey of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Her music compositions are presently registered at the Library of Congress in Washington, United States of America. For the past two years Raquel has been working in the production of her own music CDs in which she is going to share with the public and friends her original songs and compositions. There are two CD productions that have been released on May 20, 2008; in English, “From My Heart” and in Spanish, “De Corazón.” She has united her Music Ministry and all of her efforts with Marriana, Alice, Wonwilai and others so that every where that she goes to perform giving music concerts, she will be raising funds at her concerts for the WEMA-HOME in Benin, Africa. God has finally given Raquel a meaningful and new purpose for her music.
Raquel Music Ministry Incorporated is a Non Profit Organization that sponsors and supports WEMA-HOME, a missionary project in Benin, Africa. This is a “Home Shelter” and an Educational Dormitory Facility that will offer hope and freedom through education to ninety little girls and young women that once in their life were abused and enslaved. The theme is “Education Is Freedom.”
For Music Concerts and live shows contact
Raquel Music Ministry Incorporated at:
E-mail: raquel@raquelmusicministry.com
Phone: (954) 730-7790.
You can write and send your donations to:
Raquel Music Ministry Incorporated
P.O. Box 590874 Tamarac, Florida. 33359.
This is a non-profit organization and tax deductible.