The Rio Percussion Immersion

Ten hands on workshops. Twelve days in Rio. One extraordinary immersion.

Ten workshops led by renowned teachers and percussion masters, curated and translated into English by researcher and educator Gabriel Lopes, open to participants worldwide. Real cultural and historical context, not just a drumming holiday.

November 15 to 26, 2027 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Limited to 30 students Low intermediate to advanced players

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Waitlist members get 48 hour early access to Tier 1 pricing, from €1,700

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A Personal Introduction

Hear It From Gabriel

Why This Is Different

Not a drumming holiday. A real education.

A carefully curated program, built by a renowned music educator, with real cultural and historical depth in every session. The course has the high quality standard of all Samba Beats products.

1

Curated by a Renowned Educator, Taught by Masters

Gabriel Lopes, a member of Monobloco since 2000 and author of three books on samba school baterias, curates the full program and personally teaches select sessions. The rest are led by renowned teachers and percussion masters, real practitioners of Brazil's percussion traditions, from samba to candomblé, jongo, côco, and maracatu. Every workshop is translated into English.

2

Curated Cultural and Historical Context

Every session is woven with the history and culture behind the rhythms you're learning, so you leave understanding Brazilian percussion culture, samba and beyond, not just able to play a few grooves. Optional visits to real quadras (where samba schools hold their rehearsals) and the barracão (the huge warehouse where floats and costumes are built) bring that history to life.

3

Small Group, Real Access

Capped at 30 students, so teaching stays personal, with real access to Rio's percussion culture, not a staged tourist experience.

Gabriel Lopes performing with Monobloco
Program Curator

Gabriel Lopes

Gabriel is a professional musician, percussionist, and acoustic guitarist, born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, and a prominent figure in Brazilian music and Rio's Carnival culture since the early 2000s. He has been a member of Monobloco, one of Brazil's most renowned percussion groups, since 2000, and continues to perform with the group today.

He has led workshops at the University of Oxford, the Royal College of Music, and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and has organized full percussion immersion programs in Rio de Janeiro for groups from institutions worldwide, including a dedicated program for students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. He is also the author of three books on samba school baterias.

For this immersion, Gabriel curates the full program and personally teaches one or two of the ten workshops, working alongside a roster of renowned teachers and percussion masters. Every class is translated into English, so no Portuguese is needed.

Through Samba Beats, he already teaches students from around the world online. This immersion brings that teaching home, to Rio itself.

  • Member of Monobloco since 2000, performing across Brazil, the USA, Europe, and Japan
  • Author of three books on samba school baterias
  • Workshops taught at the University of Oxford, the Royal College of Music, and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
  • Has organized full percussion immersion programs in Rio for institutional groups, including students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
The Program

Ten workshops. Twelve days in Rio.

November 15 to 26, 2027. Ten workshops, each three to four hours long, led by renowned teachers and percussion masters.

Rio's studios and rehearsal spaces do not confirm bookings far in advance. That is simply how things work here. Your detailed day by day schedule will be shared closer to departure. What will not change is the depth of access and teaching you are signing up for.

Course Information

Good to know

Pricing

Tiered pricing. Join the waitlist for the best rate.

Same tiered approach used for the Rio Carnival Masterclass. Tuition only. Prices rise as tiers fill.

Waitlist Price

Tier 1

€1,700
First 10 seats, or until January 31, 2027

Tier 2

€1,900
Mid window

Tier 3

€2,100
Final seats

Tier 1 is capped at the first 10 seats or January 31, 2027, whichever comes first. Waitlist members get a 48 hour head start to enroll before it opens to the public, so joining the waitlist does not commit you to anything, it just gives you the best shot at that price.

Questions

Good to know

When does the course take place?

November 15 to 26, 2027, in Rio de Janeiro. Exact schedule details will be shared with the waitlist as we get closer.

How many students will be in the group?

The group is limited to 30 students, to keep the teaching personal and hands on.

Is accommodation included in the price?

No. Pricing is tuition only, so you can choose the comfort level that fits your budget. Recommended guesthouse options will be shared once you're enrolled.

What will I actually learn?

Hands on percussion technique across ten workshops, split evenly between samba and other Brazilian traditions including candomblé, jongo, côco, and maracatu, with renowned teachers and percussion masters, alongside the cultural and historical context behind it. The full program is curated by Gabriel Lopes, who personally teaches a couple of the sessions himself.

Will I understand the teachers if they speak Portuguese?

Yes. Every workshop is translated into English, so you can follow along fully regardless of your Portuguese level.

Do I need to be based in Brazil to join?

No. This program is open to participants worldwide. All workshops are translated into English, so you don't need to speak Portuguese or live in Brazil to take part.

Do I need experience to join?

This program is best suited for players from low intermediate to advanced. Complete beginners are welcome to join, but the workshops are paced for people who already have some percussion experience, not a first ever lesson.

How do I get the best price?

Join the waitlist below. Tier 1 pricing (€1,700) is capped at the first 10 seats or January 31, 2027, whichever comes first, and waitlist members get a 48 hour head start to enroll before it opens to the public.

Can I talk to Gabriel directly before joining?

Yes. If you would like to talk it through directly, email mail@sambabeats.com.br and we can set up an online meeting. Gabriel can also help with questions about accommodation and neighborhoods in Rio, so feel free to ask.

Talk To Gabriel

Still deciding? Let's talk it through.

Email mail@sambabeats.com.br to set up a quick online meeting, no obligation. Gabriel is also happy to help with questions about accommodation and neighborhoods in Rio.

Ready to experience Rio's percussion culture from the inside?

Spots are limited to 30 students, and Tier 1 pricing is capped at the first 10 seats or January 31, 2027, whichever comes first. Join the waitlist for a 48 hour head start before it opens to the public.

Join the Waitlist

From €1,700, Tier 1, 48 hour waitlist early access

Join the Waitlist

No spam. Just news about the immersion and early access when enrollment opens.

Questions about the course? Email mail@sambabeats.com.br or send a WhatsApp message and Gabriel will get back to you.