Conservatorio Musical Souza Lima is a contemporary music school in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and a member of the Berklee Global Partners network. It offers degree programs in jazz, Brazilian music, pop, music production, and performance. Students can transfer up to 48 credits (approximately two years of study) directly to Berklee College of Music, making it one of the most affordable pathways to a Berklee degree for students in Latin America.
Programs and Curriculum
Souza Lima offers undergraduate-level programs focused on contemporary music performance and production. The main areas of study include:
- Performance: instrumental and vocal training across jazz, Brazilian music, pop, rock, and metal
- Music Production and Engineering: recording, mixing, and studio workflows using industry-standard software and hardware
- Composition and Arranging: songwriting, orchestration, and contemporary arrangement techniques
- Music Education: pedagogy training for students planning to teach in schools or privately
The curriculum is taught in Portuguese. Students study core music theory, harmony, ear training, and history alongside their principal instrument or specialization. The school covers genres from classical and Brazilian traditions to contemporary jazz and heavy metal, reflecting the diversity of Brazil's music scene.
The Berklee transfer agreement allows Souza Lima students to complete their first two years in Sao Paulo at a fraction of Berklee's tuition, then transfer to Boston for their final two years. This pathway is one of the school's biggest draws for international students.
Campus and Facilities
The Souza Lima campus is located in Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city and cultural hub. Facilities include performance spaces, recording studios, practice rooms, and classrooms equipped for both acoustic and electronic music instruction.
The school maintains connections with the broader Sao Paulo music scene, giving students access to live performance venues, recording studios, and professional musicians who serve as guest faculty. The city itself is a center for Brazilian music, from samba and bossa nova to contemporary jazz and MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira).
Admissions and Tuition
Admission to Souza Lima requires an audition and application. Prospective students should contact the school directly through the official website for current audition dates, application requirements, and deadlines.
Tuition is significantly lower than at comparable US or European institutions, which is what makes the Berklee transfer pathway so attractive. Students can complete two years at Souza Lima for a fraction of what one year at Berklee costs. Exact tuition figures are available directly from the school, as they are set in Brazilian reais and vary by program.
International students should verify visa requirements for studying in Brazil. The school's partnership with Berklee means that transfer students need to meet Berklee's separate admission requirements for their Boston campus.
Notable Alumni
Souza Lima was founded in 1980 and became a degree-granting institution in 2007. Because the school is relatively young, its most recognizable alumni are working musicians in the Brazilian industry rather than international celebrities. Several have achieved national recognition.
Daniel Jorge is a keyboardist and producer who studied at the Conservatorio Souza Lima. He served as the keyboardist for Angra, one of Brazil's most internationally recognized heavy metal bands, contributing to albums including Angels Cry, Holy Land, Fireworks, Rebirth, and Temple of Shadows. He also played keyboards for CPM22, a major Brazilian hardcore punk band, and currently performs with the Dream Theater Tribute project alongside members of Angra and Shaman.
Lupa Santiago is a guitarist and composer who graduated from Berklee College of Music (B.M. '98) and the Boston Conservatory (M.M. '00). He is the academic dean and pedagogical coordinator at Souza Lima. Santiago has released 24 CDs as a leader, performed in 40 countries, and serves on the board of directors of the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ). He redesigned Souza Lima's curriculum in 2000 to match Berklee's first two years.
Rodrigo Ursaia is a saxophonist, flautist, and composer who teaches at Faculdade Souza Lima. He holds a bachelor's degree from Berklee and a master's from the Manhattan School of Music. He has performed with Milton Nascimento, Rosa Passos, Ivan Lins, Joao Bosco, and Banda Mantiqueira, among others.
Abner Phelipe is a composer and arranger who studied at both Souza Lima and Berklee. He won a Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation Scholarship in 2022. He has performed with OSESP (Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra), Joao Bosco, Carlinhos Brown, Daniela Mercury, and the Jazz Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Alumni Performance Clips
The Angra video above features Daniel Jorge's keyboard work with one of Brazil's most successful metal exports. The institutional video below provides an overview of Souza Lima's campus and programs.
Industry Connections
Souza Lima alumni have transferred to Berklee and gone on to professional careers in performance, production, and music education. The school's position as a Berklee Global Partners member gives students access to Berklee's network of industry connections, masterclasses, and global alumni.
Berklee's assistant vice president of Global Initiatives, Jason Camelio, has described Souza Lima as "a primary connecting point for the music of Brazil and the world." The school's faculty includes working musicians active in Sao Paulo's live and studio scenes. Approximately one-third of Souza Lima's 25 faculty members are Berklee alumni.
Program Basics
Souza Lima offers two levels of study:
Conservatorio (Conservatory): Instrument and voice courses at technical and enrichment levels. Open to students seeking professional training or personal development. No degree required for enrollment.
Faculdade (College): Undergraduate degree programs in performance, music production and engineering, composition and arranging, and music education. Admission requires an audition and application. The school became the first private contemporary music school in South America to offer degrees in 2007.
Degree programs offered:
- Bachelor in Music Performance (instrumental and vocal)
- Bachelor in Music Production and Engineering
- Bachelor in Composition and Arranging
- Bachelor in Music Education (Licenciatura)
Audition requirements: Prospective students must pass a practical audition on their principal instrument or voice, complete a music theory assessment, and submit an application. Contact the school through the official website for current audition dates and requirements.
Tuition: Set in Brazilian reais and significantly lower than US or European institutions. Exact figures vary by program and are available directly from the school. The Berklee transfer pathway lets students complete two years in Sao Paulo for a fraction of one year of Berklee tuition in Boston.
Why It Matters for Aspiring Musicians
Souza Lima is a strong option for two types of students. First, Brazilian musicians who want professional-level training without leaving home. Second, international students who want a Berklee degree but cannot afford four years of tuition in Boston. The transfer pathway lets you study in Portuguese, build core skills, and then complete your degree in the US.
Consider the language requirement. All instruction is in Portuguese, so non-Portuguese speakers will need to achieve working fluency before enrolling. Sao Paulo is also a massive, expensive city by Brazilian standards, though still far cheaper than Boston or London.
Students looking for funding should explore music scholarships that support international study. You can also use our streaming royalty calculator to understand how your future releases might earn revenue on digital platforms.
For a broader view of music education options, browse our complete music schools directory or learn about performing rights organizations that collect royalties for working musicians in Brazil and beyond.
Similar Music Schools
- Berklee College of Music - Souza Lima's Global Partners affiliate and transfer destination
- Conservatorio Nacional Lopez Buchardo - The other original Berklee credit-transfer partner in Latin America (Argentina)
- UNICAMP Institute of Arts - Another major Brazilian music institution
- Musicians Institute - Contemporary music school in Los Angeles with a similar focus on jazz, rock, and production
