Joaquín Nin-Culmell was born in Berlin, Germany in 1908 to Cuban singer Rosa Culmell and pianist-composer José Joaquín Nin y Castellanos. Nin Culmell went onto become a composer, pianist, conductor, lecturer, and emeritus professor of music at the University of California, Berkeley. He was educated at the Schola Cantorum (1925-1930) first studying in the class of Paul Braud and then privately with Alfred Cortot and Ricardo Vines. At the Paris Conservatory Nin-Culmell studied harmony, counterpoint, and fugue with Jean and Noel Gallon, and composition with Paul Dukas. As a concert virtuoso, Nin-Culmell performed in Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, England, the United States, Canada, and Cuba. He also taught music at Williams College and the University of California, Berkeley, retiring in 1971 as Professor Emeritus. He was founder and conductor of the Berkshire Community Orchestra and conductor of the University of California Symphony from 1950-1954 also having served as guest conductor of the Miami Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Aspen Festival Orchestra, and the Municipal Orchestra of Barcelona. Nin-Culmell composed music for piano, voice, string quartet, solo cello, solo guitar, orchestra, and unaccompanied chorus. Perhaps his most famous work, Nin-Culmell was the composer of the opera La Celestina (1985) based on a 15th century drama. Nin Culmell passed away in January 2004.

José Joaquín Nin y Castellanos was born in Havana, Cuba in 1879 and was raised in Barcelona, Spain. Nin y Castellanos studied piano in Barcelona with Felipe Pedrell and eventually returned to Cuba in 1901, where he met his future wife, Rosa Culmell. The couple returned to Europe, primarily Paris, where he pursued his career as a pianist, performing all over Europe and in parts of South America. He was also an editor and publisher of early Spanish keyboard and vocal composers. His many collaborations with violinists of note and his close friendship with violinists such as Paul Kochanski, Jeanne Gautier, Mischa Elman, Jacques Thibaud, Albert Spalding and Manuel Quiroga amongst others made his transcriptions for violin and piano an attractive alternative to the available virtuoso arrangements in vogue at the time. The Spanish Civil War and World War II terminated his performing, composing, and editing career in Europe so he returned to Havana, Cuba in 1939 where he lived until his death in 1949. Nin y Castellanos' lasting contribution to the divulgation of Spanish folklore and Spanish composers of the 18th century is evidenced by the many world-wide performances of his compositions and editions.

José Joaquín Nin y Castellanos and Rosa Culmell were the parents of Anais Nin, Joaquín Nin-Culmell, and Thorvald Nin. José Joaquín and Rosa divorced in 1924. José Joaquín was re-married to Maria Luisa Rodriguez, with their marriage ending shortly before World War II.