Maruja Hinestrosa: Faith and introspection in a Colombian composer

Maruja Hinestrosa was born in 1914 in Pasto, in southern Colombia. Despite the hostile climate towards women composers in her time and place, her trajectory stands out historically in the country for having overcome social prejudices to the point of solidifying a career as an artist, creator, and concert pianist. As a city that was significantly isolated from capital city Bogotá, Pasto represented an enormous challenge for those who desired to receive a professional musical education. The possibility of studying in the National Conservatory was distant, and local religious communities that offered some sort of artistic education were more frequently relied upon. This was the case for Hinestrosa, whose study of piano began in the Liceo de la Merced Maridíaz (a Franciscan nuns’ school), thanks to the presence of a German nun, Sister Bautista, who brought with her teaching materials for this purpose.