▁Ric ardo ▁Ara u jo ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁in ▁Bog ota ▁( Col omb ia ). ▁Since ▁his ▁very ▁youth , ▁he ▁evol ved ▁in ▁the ▁abstract ▁universe ▁of ▁painting ▁and ▁music . ▁He ▁began ▁his ▁musical ▁studies ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁with ▁pian ist ▁L ile ▁T iem po , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁as ▁Marie - Lou ise ▁T oup ou zien ' s ▁student , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁by ▁Belg ium ▁Super ior ▁J ury ▁in ▁the ▁excell ence ▁category . ▁At ▁ 1 2 , ▁he ▁gave ▁his ▁first ▁piano ▁rec ital ▁in ▁Br uss els , ▁playing ▁Bach ▁and ▁Moz art . ▁Seven ▁months ▁later , ▁he ▁made ▁his ▁debut ▁with ▁Br uss els ' ▁Royal ▁Conserv atoire ▁chamber ▁or chestra , ▁when ▁Mar tha ▁Ar ger ich ▁noticed ▁him . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁back ▁in ▁Colombia , ▁he ▁simultaneously ▁went ▁on ▁with ▁his ▁pian ist , ▁music ▁director ▁and ▁composer ▁training . ▁He ▁quickly ▁became ▁Dim it r ▁Man ol ov ' s ▁assistant , ▁then ▁second ▁music ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Colombia ▁Sym phony ▁Orchestra . ▁Before ▁leaving ▁Colombia ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁sett le ▁in ▁Paris , ▁Ric ardo ▁Ara u jo ▁chose ▁to ▁dedic ate ▁himself ▁exclus ively ▁to ▁music ▁writing ▁and ▁orch est ras ' ▁direction . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁music ian , ▁he ▁has ▁fav oured ▁ref lex ion ▁and ▁search ▁for ▁a