Claude Debussy was born on August 22, 1862, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. From an early age, he displayed remarkable talent in music, often experimenting with the piano at his family's modest home. Recognizing his potential, his parents enrolled him in the Paris Conservatoire at the age of ten, where he studied piano, composition, and music theory. During his time at the Conservatoire, Debussy was exposed to a wide range of musical styles. He developed a particular fondness for the works of Wagner and Russian composers such as Mussorgsky and Borodin, which greatly influenced his own compositions in later years.