Douglas Fonseca was born in a small city, Cajuru, in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1978. He started his music studies at the age of 10 with piano and guitar classes in his city of birth. Two years later in the city of Ribeirao Preto he discovered his taste in jazz with his teacher Haroldo Garcia, and decided to follow a musical career.
Fonseca studied classical guitar at the "Federal University of Uberlandia" (UFU) in 1996, and in 1997 he enrolled in the music course at "State University of Campinas" (Unicamp) where he got his B.A. in jazz guitar in 2000. In 2002, Fonseca was awarded a scholarship from CAPES (Brazilian government) and Fulbright (EUA) to study at the "University of Miami", where he got his masters degree in Studio/Jazz Writing in may/2004.
In 2001 he was awarded the advanced level prize from the First National Competition of Arrangement for Wind Ensemble in Brazil. Fonseca wrote the sound track for the dance performance "Memorias de um Corpo (de Baile)" also in 2001. This year was a milestone in his career, he also participated as an arranger for the CD "Arranjadores Brasileiros" (Brazilian Arrangers) recorded by the Brazilian Wind Orchestra and was hired as a teacher at Carlos Gomes School of Music in Campinas.
In June/2002 he was invited to participate in the project "Texturas Sonoras" that was held in "Sesc Consolacao" in the city of Sao Paulo, together with nationally and internationally renowned arrangers. This year the band "Comboio" concluded its first album called "Sarado" which contains three of his compositions and arrangements.
In 2003 Fonseca was awarded a full scholarship as Overture Composer to the 2003 Henry Mancini Institute at UCLA (Los Angeles). He was selected from hundreds of applicants representing leading colleges and conservatories from across the United States and around the world. In 2004 Fonseca was selected to participate in the prestigious ASCAP Film Scoring program in Hollywood, CA.
Douglas is a prolific composer since very young. He has written for different instrumentation such as large and small jazz ensemble, orchestra, wind ensemble, string ensemble, vocal ensemble, film scores, solo instruments. His compositions have been performed and recorded by orchestras like The Los Angeles Studio Orchestra, The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, The Brazilian Wind Orchestra, University of Miami Orchestra, among others. Douglas has studied music writing with Gary Lindsay, Vince Mendonza, John Clayton, Gunther Schuller, John Corigliano, Randy Newman, James Newton Howard, Jack Smalley.
Fonseca has writing and produced the music for the feature film Domino, and a variety of short film such as Elegy, At Last, Mistaking Owen.
Douglas is a unique jazz guitarist who brings to the guitar the conception and creativity of an arranger. He is an active performer with experience in Big Band, small jazz ensemble, trio, solo guitar, Brazilian music. Fonseca played guitar in groups like Comboio, Matraca, Unicamp Big Band, Elder Samara Jazz Quintet, U.M. Brazilian ensemble, among others. He was selected as a guitarist for Big Band of the Winter Festival of Campos do Jordao for two years (1997 and 1999). He had guitar lessons with Helio Delmiro, Haroldo Garcia, Alberto Trindade, Ralph Towner, among others. During the Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles (summer/2003) Fonseca played in the group of the pianist and composer Billy Childs. He also participated in jam sessions with the drummer Peter Erskine.
Along with his writing and performing projects, Douglas is currently a full time music instructor at Autry Music Institute in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He has also given seminars about Brazilian music and guitar at University of Miami.