Natalia Ardila-Mantilla was born in Bogotá and is professor of music education (instrumental/vocal tuition) at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne since 2015. She studied piano performance and music education in Bogotá and Vienna, and worked as a researcher and a piano and improvisation teacher in Bogotá, Lower Austria and Vienna. In her work, she explores cultural participation throughout the lifespan, the relationship between informal music learning and formal tuition, professionalization processes of music teachers as well as institutional/curriculum development and the role of collaboration in higher music education and music schools.