of belgian ancestry, verrimst studied double-bass at the conservatoire de paris in louis françois chaft's class as well as harmony with antoine elwart and counterpoint with simon leborne. a winner of the first prizes in these disciplines, he became a musician in the orchestra of the opéra-comique then was bassist soloist with the orchestra of the opéra de paris, at the orchestre de la société des concerts du conservatoire and played in the personal music of napoleon iii.