Julio Racine, 75, passed away on Sunday, October 11, 2020. Julio was born in Port-au-Prince Haiti on February 4th 1945. At the age of 2 he lost his mother and was taken in by his grandmother who made sure he grew up surrounded and supported by family. Julio grew up loving music and at age 15 he entered the National Conservatory in Haiti where he studied flute. In 1970 he came to the United States to study music performance on scholarship at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. While in Kentucky he met the love of his life Nina Ralph who he married. In 1974, after graduating from U of L, Julio returned to Haiti accompanied by his bride and they began their life together united in a mission to bring music education to young people in Haiti.
Julio was appointed flute professor and orchestra conductor at the École de Musique Saint Trinité of the Haitian Episcopal Diocese in 1976. A gifted teacher and natural leader, Julio mentored young musicians and became a pillar in the classical music world in Haiti. A great joy in his life was seeing his students, among which were his own three children, grow into accomplished musicians. As the conductor of the Orchestre Philharmonique Sainte Trinité he toured the United States where they performed at Tanglewood. In Haiti, Julio worked at the Holy Trinity Trade School where he began as an electronics teacher and became the director of the school, a position he held for more than two decades. In the year 2000 Julio retired and emigrated to the United States and moved to Louisville Kentucky. He was recipient of the Wilson Wyatt Alumni Award for the University of Louisville School of Music in 2017. He received an award in Boston at the 2013 YoFestival for his contribution to music education of Haitian youth. During his retirement Julio has dedicated his life to composition and served as a champion for Haitian music. His original works and arrangements have been performed around the world. His compositions have been performed by the Louisville Orchestra, Louisville Civic Orchestra, and numerous solo artists in Spain, France, Greece, Haiti and Latin America. Considered an expert in Haitian Music, his collaboration was invaluable to many musicologists and historians. Julio believed in the power of music to change lives and lived his life serving as a champion of music education and for the preservation of Haitian Folkloric music.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lea Delva and Jules Cesar Racine; brothers, Lys, and Joseph Racine.
Left to cherish Julio’s memory is his loving wife of 46 years, Nina Racine; children, James Racine (Chenica), Cynthia Racine (John Tran), Marie Montilla (Jorge); 6 grandchildren; siblings, Wesner Racine, Rose Marie Racine, Adeline Racine; and several nieces and nephews.
The Funeral Service will be Friday, October 16, 2020 at 2:00pm at Evergreen Funeral Home with visitation beginning at 11:00am until the time of service at the funeral home.
Please visit www.Evergreen-Louisville.com to share condolences with Julio’s family.
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