ra un nefer amen was born in the central american country of panama. amen attended panama's conservatory of music when he was six years old. he arrived in the united states on may 30, 1960, to continue his formal musical training and graduated from the brooklyn high school for boys in brooklyn, new york in 1961. upon graduating, amen continued his formal training at juilliard prep (pre-college division) and mannes college of music.