 In 1949 his family emigrated to Venezuela where he studied classical piano and composition at the Venezuela Conservatory of Music in Caracas, Venezuela's "Juilliard".He earned his Master's Degree in 1957.The Live Experience - The classical training of the conservatory, the vibrant Latin and Caribbean pop music of Venezuela, and the raw energy of North American rock-n-roll all have contributed to the fresh compositional style that has come to be Barabas's signature.