 Among his teachers was Camille Saint-Saëns, who became a lifelong friend.After graduating from the college in 1865, Fauré earned a modest living as an organist and teacher, leaving him little time for composition.When he became successful in his middle age, holding the important posts of organist of the Église de la Madeleine and director of the Paris Conservatoire, he still lacked time for composing; he retreated to the countryside in the summer holidays to concentrate on composition.