Emma Martínez de la Torre Shelton

Emma Martínez de la Torre Shelton (sometimes y Shelton) (15 January 1889 – 1980) was a Cuban-born pianist and composer long active in the Canary Islands.

Martínez was born in Havana, and moved with her family to Cádiz at the age of three.[1] After lessons at that city's Santa Cecilia Academy and with Rafael Toniasi Requena in Madrid,[2] she traveled to Rome for further work at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. She then settled in Tenerife, where she continued her studies with Santiago Sabina Corona.[3] She worked as an accompanist to Néstor de la Torre between 1909 and 1917; she taught at the island's conservatory, and was otherwise heavily active in the musical life of the community as performer and concert organizer. As a composer Martínez was self-taught; most of her output dates to late in her career,[1] and includes orchestral works as well as chamber music and songs.[3]