Initially, her parents did not encourage her music, but when she was twelve they were persuaded by a professor at the Conservatoire to allow her to receive formal music lessons. In 1874, at the age of sixteen, she began her studies at the Conservatoire, and attended classes in accompaniment, harmony, and composition, where she shared the benches with Claude Debussy and Gabriel Pierné and received tuition from César Franck.
At first, her parents did not foster her musical interests, but when she was twelve they were influenced by a professor at the Conservatoire to allow her to receive professional music training. By 1874, at the age of sixteen, she started her studies at the Conservatoire, where she studied accompaniment, harmony, and composition alongside Claude Debussy and Gabriel Pierné under the guidance of César Franck.