Due to his musical talent and appealingly good disposition, he entered four years earlier than the proscribed rules allowed, and was put under the strict tutelage of the great composer and Teacher of the Pages, Andre Campra. In 1737, Philidor, at the tender age of 11, was granted permission to play his first piece before King Louis XV. The king was delighted with the performance, and rewarded the precocious musician with a few coins. The boy continued dedicating himself to his studies, and produced four more motets in the years leading up to 1740 when, at the age of 14, his voice changed and he had to leave the Royal Chapel choir.
During his years at the Royal Chapel, Philidor's education extended far beyond music. It was there that he first played the game that was destined to transform the rest of his life. Every morning at the chapel, the King of France heard music with Mass. There were often long waits for the monarch's arrival, during which time it was common practice for the King's 80 musicians to entertain themselves at chess tables near the sanctuary.
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