Puccini wrote an orchestral piece called the Capriccio sinfonico as a thesis composition for the Milan Conservatory. In 1880, at the age of 21, Puccini composed his Mass, which marks the culmination of his family's long association with church music in his native Lucca.

Puccini studied at the conservatory for three years, sharing a room with Pietro Mascagni.

A grant from Queen Margherita, and assistance from another uncle, Nicholas Cerù, provided the funds necessary for Puccini to continue his studies at the Milan Conservatory, where he studied composition with Stefano Ronchetti-Monteviti, Amilcare Ponchielli, and Antonio Bazzini. Puccini got a diploma from the Pacini School of Music in Lucca in 1880, having studied there with his uncle Fortunato, and later with Carlo Angeloni, who had also instructed Alfredo Catalani. One of Puccini's uncles, Fortunato Magi, supervised his musical education. Puccini was given a general education at the seminary of San Michele in Lucca, and then at the seminary of the cathedral. As a child, he nevertheless participated in the musical life of the Cattedrale di San Martino, as a member of the boys' choir and later as a substitute organist. However, when Michele Puccini died in 1864, his son Giacomo was only six years old, and thus not capable of taking over his father's job. With the Puccini family having occupied the position of maestro di cappella for 124 years (1740–1864) by the time of Michele's death, it was anticipated that Michele's son Giacomo would occupy that position as well when he was old enough. Puccini's father Michele enjoyed a reputation throughout northern Italy, and his funeral was an occasion of public mourning, at which the then-famed composer Giovanni Pacini conducted a Requiem. In addition, Domenico composed several operas, and Michele composed one opera. Domenico Puccini studied for a time under Giovanni Paisiello. Each of these men studied music at Bologna, and some took additional musical studies elsewhere. He was succeeded in this position by his son, Antonio Puccini, and then by Antonio's son Domenico, and Domenico's son Michele (father of the subject of this article). This first Giacomo Puccini was maestro di cappella of the Cattedrale di San Martino in Lucca. The Puccini family was established in Lucca as a local musical dynasty by Puccini's great-great-grandfather – also named Giacomo (1712–1781). He was the sixth of nine children of Michele Puccini (1813–1864) and Albina Magi (1830–1884). Puccini was born Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini in Lucca, Italy, in 1858. Puccini's birthplace, seen in 1984 during restoration work

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