Cellist, Rafael Figueroa was born in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, the 1st of June, 1917. Since he was a child, he showed great ability in music and started to study piano wth his mother, pianist Carmen Sanabia, before he was seven. Later he began to study cello bringing inmediate notice for his extraordinary musical instinct that has equipped him with the best qualities for chamber music.

He followed the steps of his brothers and went to Paris. to the "Ecole Normale de Musique" studying with Diran Alexanian and later with "virtuoso" Pierre Fournier. He also was a pupil of Gerald Maas and completed his studies in harmony and othe subjects that formed his musical background under Nadia Boulanger. Olivier Messiaen and George Dandelot. After graduating the "Ecole Normale de Musique" he became a member of the Orchestra conducted by Alfred Cortot. When the Second World War broke out he came to New York City were he performed with te New York City Symphony Orchestra ad other musical groups.

He was a member of the Figueroa Quintet, Puerto Rico Symphony and taught cello at the Free School of Music.