Clotilde Arias

Clotilde Arias Chávarri Anduaga de Ferrero (20 June 1901 – 6 May 1959) was a Peruvian-American composer and lyricist. She is best known for her composition of the song “Huiracocha”, popular in Peru and sung worldwide; and for her translation of “The Star-Spangled Banner”, the United States national anthem, into lyrical Spanish, commissioned by the U.S. Department of State in 1946. Arias was also an integral part of the Pan-American movement during the 1940s, as well as an advocate for Spanish-language education in the United States. Life Arias was born in 1901 in Iquitos, Peru, on the shores of the Amazon. She spent many of her early years in Barbados, where she attended elementary school. She began writing and composing songs during her teenage years. Arias’s artistic talents in music, painting, and composing including playing for silent movies emerged early in Iquitos. She achieved scholastic and artistic recognition, with numerous honors. Her perfect pitch and exceptional ability to sight read made her a highly sought accompanist. Throughout Peruvian history, the Charango was a common instrument of their culture. While Arias focused on composing, she also mastered this instrumen