 Georges , an only child , showed early aptitude for music and quickly picked up the basics of musical notation from his mother , who probably gave him his first piano lessons . By listening at the door of the room where Adolphe conducted his classes , Georges learned to sing difficult songs accurately from memory , and developed an ability to identify and analyse complex chordal structures . This precocity convinced his ambitious parents that he was ready to begin studying at the Conservatoire even though he was still only nine years old ( the minimum entry age was 10 ) . Georges was interviewed by Joseph Meifred , the horn virtuoso who was a member of the Conservatoire 's Committee of Studies . Meifred was so struck by the boy 's demonstration of his skills that he waived the age rule and offered to take him as soon as a place became available . 
