THE FEE INCLUDES

• All music classes, presentations, demonstrations, combos, jam sessions and workshop concerts.
• Equipment – piano, bass and guitar amps, PA, double bass, drumset and all percussion instruments.

You will need to bring your personal instruments – guitar, sax, violin, trumpet, trombone, etc.

• Lunches marked with * in the workshop schedule (you will always be responsible for your drinks).
• Individuals not wishing to attend the afternoon combos will be offered other activities like visiting museums and malls, dance or other cultural classes, and also a special class on speaking Portuguese.
• Hotel – Brasília Palace Hotel – 9 nights – Exceptional breakfasts are included for each day.

There will be a US$500 charge for those wishing a single room.

• Ground transportation to all workshop concerts, classes and tours.
• Dinner at Churrascaria (the Brazilian barbecue).
• Special percussion class at Ermida Dom Bosco.
• Waterfall trip (transportation and lunch included).

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

• Your flight to Brazil (please see FLIGHTS and ARRIVAL below for helpful information).
• Visa application, if needed.
• Your transfer from the airport to the Brasília Palace Hotel (please see FLIGHTS and ARRIVAL).
• Some meals – Lunch (typically $10 to $20) and dinners (typically $30), unless noted above.
• Private lessons with master teachers are available for $100 per hour, paid directly to the teacher.
• Your flight to Natal, in case you are going to the additional workshop.

All classes will be held in English.

Your destination will be Brasilia’s Kubitschek International airport (BSB).   

• Major US airlines – American, Delta and United – all fly to Brasília with typically a stop in São Paulo (GRU) or Rio de Janeiro (GIG).
• Major European airlines fly to Brasília with a stop in São Paulo (GRU) or Rio de Janeiro (GIG).

• You might wish to check the cost of flying to São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, collect your bags after going through customs then take a separate flight on GOL or LATAM to Brasília. There are numerous flights from US$100 to US$150 (checked bag and carry-on). It could be cheaper. If you chose this option, note that if there is a delay or cancelation of your international flight, you can miss the Brazilian domestic flight. Plan accordingly.

• There are flights that fly directly to Brasília from major cities like Miami, New York and Los Angeles.  

• Portugal airline TAP has direct flights to Brasília.

• The Brazilian airline GOL is an excellent airline and has several flights from Miami, Philadelphia, Chicago and Las Vegas.   

• Chilean LATAM and Panama’s Copa have numerous flights from Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Nashville and Las Vegas.

• I always check Kayak and airline sites when booking a ticket. Kayak always has more options.  

• BACC Travel, a consolidator, has discounted tickets from major cities.  It is certainly worth checking if you live in New York, LA, Miami or like city.  The email is info@bacctravel.com.

For your information, Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos international airport is one of the largest and most perplexing in the world.  When booking your ticket be sure to give yourself time to get through security and to find your gate.

Once you arrive in BrasÍlia, you will find a very attractive, clean airport.  A typical airport in a tropical area, much is open air and very easy to navigate (the opposite of São Paulo). After clearing customs, which is usually quick, you will head to the arrival area. 

I suggest securing an Uber for you trip to the Brasília Palace Hotel. I have found Ubers in Brasília to be convenient and inexpensive. I have checked and a typical Uber to the Palace would be approximately  60-120 reais (approx. US$12 to US$24).

We will update this section soon.

If you ask a Brazilian what is their typical food, the answer will be “beans, rice and meat.” Although this answer is true, the food in Brazil features all types of cuisine, truly international with a local twist. You will easily find various types of bread, cheeses, milk, juices from countless fruits (many we don’t have access to), rice, beans, corn, fresh local vegetables and some items you will only find in Brazil. 

The native dishes –  Feijoada, Farofa, Moqueca de Camarão, Pão de Queijo (cheese bread) and Vatapá (my favorite) to name a few – are very tasty and unlike anything in the States. If you like corn, try the Pamonha, a boiled paste made from corn and whisked with coconut milk.  It comes either in a sweet or salted flavor.

There is also the Churrascaria – Brazil’s never-ending barbecue – all types of meat and seafood prepared on an open fire.  You will not go away hungry – guaranteed!   A visit to a churrascaria is part of the workshop package.  There are ample options for our  vegetarian/vegan friends, you will not go wanting.  

Deserts are also extraordinary, especially the Flan and fruit ice cream. Of course, there is the Caipirinha (drink with Cachaça, lime and sugar) and Guaraná (for those who don’t want alcohol).  

The Brasilia Palace Hotel features a fabulous, all you can eat, breakfast. You will start each day trying a variety of tasty dishes.

For the ones going to Natal, you will have all options described above and more. Because Natal is a coastal city, you will have plenty of sea food dishes. In addition, other local dishes like “carne de sol com queijo coalho” and fruits that you will not find in Brasília.

Take a moment and check out just a few of the many possible dishes.  

Brazilian cuisine

Typical lunch

Brasilia Palace breakfast

The weather in Brasilia in May is fantastic, which is one of the reasons why we are holding the workshop then. The temperature ranges from cool, mid-50s F (14° C) at night to clear, sunny days in the high 70’s – low 80’s F (25° to 30° C).

Brasilia is a planned city, located in a 3000 feet (1000 meters) high plateau, in the center of the country. So the days in May are dry, with little humidity and welcome breezes.   

Their rainy season ends in March/April and May is the beginning of their fall, with the foliage in bloom. It is really a perfect time to visit this part of Brazil.

Another plus will be the sunsets – they are always interesting and many spectacular, with vivid colors and ever moving shapes. Check out the photo link. I took these images in May 2022, many from the lawn at the Brasília Palace Hotel.  The images really don’t do the views justice.  Sunrise is around 6:30 and sets around 6:00, an almost 12 hour day. 

Because Natal is closer to the Equator, it is warmer than Brasília. The temperature will range from low 70’s to 90 F (22° to 32° C) and the humidity will be around 80%.

The sun rises around 5:30 AM and at 6 PM it will be dark.

In Brasília, totally casual and comfort is key. With the warm days, you will likely wear shorts and t-shirts. With the cool evenings, you will want a light coat, long pants and possibly a long sleeve top. We will be going to nice restaurants in the evenings, but they certainly are not formal. Some will wear a sport coat or dress while others will wear jeans and workout clothes.

I encourage you to bring your swimsuit. The pool at the Brasília Palace Hotel is large and really nice, heated too.  You will also  want swimwear if you are going to Natal with us.

Pack comfortable, with layers.  Certainly bring a light jacket.  Hats and sunscreen are wise too due to the sun.

In Natal you will definitely wear light clothes and have your hat and sunscreen available. We are pretty sure you won’t miss the beaches!

We did some research, but we cannot guarantee any information described below. Check the Embassy of Brazil website of your country for information about Visa requirements and other requirements like health insurance, vaccines, required documents, etc.

After a waiver period, Brazil will require a tourist visa (Visit Visa) from North America visitors starting on April 10th, 2025. The visa application cost is US$185 and you can get further information here.

Brazil does note require Visa for most European countries. Please, check the Embassy of Brazil website of your country to confirm if you will need a Visa or not.

Brazil has a public health system that can support you in any emergency. Anyway, we strongly suggest you check to make sure your heath insurance covers you in Brazil. If it does not cover you, we suggest you hiring a private travel insurance in your home country.

Brasília has a strong private hospital system with excellent professionals and high-end equipment. They are ready for anything you might need.  Natal also have a strong private hospital system, although it is not as big as in Brasília.

Keep in mind that the percussion instruments classes generate a high sound pressure level. We recommend you  wearing ear foams or ear plugs. If you wear any hearing device, you might need extra protection for those classes.

If you want, you can have private lessons with any faculty member. You can talk directly with him/her and schedule a time according to your and their schedule. You can also try to schedule your private lesson during one of our touristic activity as noted in the Workshop Schedule page.

The private lesson fee is US$100, paid directly to the faculty member.