▁Royal ▁Academy ▁of ▁Music , ▁where ▁he ▁studied ▁piano ▁and ▁composition ▁with ▁Tob ias ▁Matth ay ▁and ▁Frederick ▁C order . ▁At ▁the ▁Academy , ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Ster nd ale ▁Ben nett ▁and ▁Th al berg ▁scholar ships , ▁and ▁also ▁the ▁H ine ▁Prize ▁and ▁the ▁Ch app ell ▁gold ▁medal ▁for ▁pian of orte ▁playing . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 7 , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁young est ▁sub - prof essor ▁yet ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Academy . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁however , ▁he ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁return ▁home ▁after ▁his ▁mother ▁fell ▁ill ▁and ▁the ▁family ▁faced ▁financial ▁difficulties . ▁ ▁Later ▁career ▁Having ▁given ▁many ▁rec it als ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁H utch ens ▁decided ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁London ▁to ▁res ume ▁his ▁career , ▁but ▁after ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁Sydney , ▁Australia ▁for ▁a ▁stop over , ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁perform ▁with ▁the ▁Sydney ▁Am ateur ▁Or ch est ral ▁Society ▁conducted ▁by ▁Alfred ▁Hill . ▁He ▁decided ▁to ▁stay , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁was ▁offered ▁a ▁position ▁by ▁Henri ▁Ver bru gg hen ▁as ▁a ▁found ing ▁professor ▁with ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁Conserv ator ium ▁of ▁Music , ▁which ▁he ▁accepted . ▁H utch ens ▁was ▁rejected ▁for ▁military ▁service ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁and ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁influ ential ▁teacher ,