Interview, Mario Martinez

Mario Martinez was born in 1963 and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He completed his primary education and began college there as a medical and sociology student for a few years. During this time, he met his wife through choir groups. Martinez moved on his own to the United States in 1993 to finish his undergraduate education with degrees in sociology and music from Iowa’s Luther College. A short time later, he moved with his wife and son to Rochester, NY, where he attended the Eastman School of Music. He received his master’s degree from Eastman and, in 2010, completed his doctorate degree there. He now works as a full-time professor in the Nazareth College School of Music.

In this interview, Martinez discusses his memories of growing up in Santo Domingo during a politically tumultuous time, his long-time love of music, and his college education. He explains his decision to finish his education in the United States, his struggles upon arriving in the United States, and his decision to settle in Rochester. He also discusses his relationship with the Dominican Republic today, his children’s experiences with discrimination, and what he misses about the Dominican Republic.