Dunga was an amateur composer who wrote several classics of the golden age of Brazilian song and was recorded by many stars of the period. In 1932 he won a Carnival contest promoted by the newspaper Jornal do Brasil (Rio) with the march "Nossa Bandeira." His first recorded composition was "Amar, Pra Que," performed by Sílvio Pinto in 1934. "Chora Cavaquinho," written in 1935, was recorded by Orlando Silva in 1936. In 1937 Dunga wrote "Sinto Uma Vontade de Chorar," also a hit in Silva's voice. In 1938, he wrote "Foi Você" and "Hoje Não, só na Quinta-Feira" (with Haroldo Lobo), ...