Paul Taffanel is regarded as the founder of the French Flute School that dominated much of flute composition and performance during the mid-20th century. Born on September 16, 1844, in Bordeaux, France, Taffanel's first flute lessons (at age nine) were from his father. He gave his first concert around the age of ten. He then went on to study at the Paris Conservatory under Louis Dorus, where he graduated in 1860. At age 16, he won his first of several awards for flute performance