 In 1901, at age sixteen, Salzedo won the "premier prix" in harp and piano on the same day, an accomplishment unmatched to this day, and was awarded a Steinway grand piano.While a student, Salzedo freelanced as second harpist in the Orchestre Lamoureux as well as the orchestras of the Olympia theater and the Folies Bergère night club.The director of the Conservatoire, Gabriel Fauré, approved Salzedo for a counterpoint class after he wrote a Bach fugue from memory.