Cesar Cortinas was an Uruguayan musician. Although he lived only 28 years, his compositions have earned him a place in the history of classical music in Uruguay. His musical studies began in 1905 when his father was elected deputy for the department of San José and the family had to move to live in Montevideo. There he began taking lessons with teacher Camilo Giucci grandfather of composer Carlos Giucci). At thirteen he began writing his first compositions. his early works belong to his period of his studies in Montevideo under Camilo Giucci, including Balada, Printemps and an Ave María for three voices. In 1909, at age 17, he went to Europe and passed the test for admission to study at the High School of Music in Berlin whose director was Max Bruch, becoming the only South American student who to obtain the master.