In 1889 the founding contract of the Musical Institute in Cartagena was signed in 1890 and opened under the direction of Italian professor Lorenzo Margottini. Some time later, at the time of the presidency of Dr. Rafael Nunez, and as Minister to the Holy See Dr. Joaquin F. Velez and Governor of the Department of Bolivar Don Henrique L. Roman, was organized at the Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome one contest to choose the most qualified to lead the military band, which turned out to be Don Juan De Sanctis, who was accompanied by Mr. Tito Sangiorgi. Some of these teachers got their degree of singing and piano. One of his most brilliant students was Mr. Narciso Garay, painter Epifanio Garay's brother who founded the Conservatory in Panama. In 1891 it was created by Decree No. 141 of April 28 Academy of Fine Arts and Music Institute was incorporated into the academy. The remarkable Colombian painter Epifanio Garay, of which there are brush paintings in Cartagena, among them oil paintings of Don Enrique L. Román and Simon Bolivar, was responsible for the departments of painting and ornamentation.