Composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, DOUGLAS FONSECA was born in a small city, Cajuru, in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1978. He started his music studies at 10 years of age 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 earned his B.A. in music in 2000.

As an arranger and composer Douglas has experience writing for many different musical groups including symphony orchestra, wind orchestra, big bands, jazz ensembles, pop music and also computer synthesizer ensembles. As a guitarist he has worked in small and large groups, among them the big band "Comboio" where he is the primary composer and arranger.

Between 1998 and 1999 Fonseca developed a scientific work called "Harmonic Conception of Toninho Horta" for the State University of Campinas (Brazil).

In 2000 he won an award in the "First National Competition of Arranging for Wind Orchestra". Douglas competed in the advanced level with his composition "A Bruxa e sua Fantasia de Princesa". The competition took place in the city of Tatui (Brazil).

Douglas wrote the sound track for the dance performance "Memorias de um Corpo (de Baile)" 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 take part 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 his band "Comboio" concluded its first album called "Sarado". Also in 2002, Fonseca was awarded a scholarship from Fulbright (USA) and CAPES (Brazilian government) to study at the "University of Miami" where he earned his M.M. degree in Studio/Jazz Writing.

In the summer/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.