Majoie Hajary

Majoie Hajary was a groundbreaking Surinamese-born composer, pianist, and author whose work seamlessly bridged classical music, jazz, and non-Western traditions. Born in Paramaribo to a multicultural family of Hindustani, Creole, and Chinese heritage, Hajary trained at the Amsterdam Conservatory before continuing her studies in Paris under Nadia Boulanger.
A prodigious talent, Hajary made her debut as a composer at age 22 with Hindoustani Fantaisie, performed by the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Throughout her career, she toured internationally as a concert pianist and composed genre-defying works that blended Indian ragas, Surinamese folk traditions, and liturgical forms. Landmark compositions include New Sound From India (1967), Requiem pour Mahatma Gandhi (1968), and La Passion Selon Judas (1970), the latter now celebrated as a rare gem of spiritual jazz.