Jorge Antunes was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1942. He began his musical studies in 1958 and in 1960 joined the National School of Music of the University of Brazil (current UFRJ), in violin class of Prof. Carlos de Almeida. In 1964 began the course of composition and conducting in the same school, studying with Henrique Morelembaum, José Siqueira and Eleazar de Carvalho. Simultaneously he followed the course of composition of Guerra Peixe in Pró-Arte of Rio de Janeiro.