 In the years 1864 to 1867, the boy toured with his father to South and North Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Russia, where he was hailed as a great harp virtuoso.Through a Royal grant, he later went to study at New Academy of Music, Berlin (Theodor Kullak's institute) from 1868 to 1875 and later at the Royal High School for Music and Composition with Woldemar Bargiel and Friedrich Kiel as his prime teachers.After his education, he functioned as harp player in B. Bilse's Orchestra, which was later to become the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.