1855 a setting of 'Sing unto the Lord and praise His name.' This 'full anthem' was sung in the Chapel Royal when the dean (Bishop Blomfield of London), to show his appreciation of the youthful effort, rewarded the boy composer with half a sovereign. His first published composition, a sacred song, 'O Israel,' was issued by Novello & Co. in November of the same year (1855).
In June 1856 Sullivan was the youngest of seventeen candidates who entered for the recently founded Mendelssohn scholarship to perpetuate the memory of Mendelssohn in England. The result was a tie between Sullivan and Joseph Barnby [q. v. Suppl.], the youngest and oldest competitors. In a final trial, however, Sullivan became the victor. He entered, under the terms of the scholarship, the Royal Academy of Music as a student, though he did not leave the choir of the Chapel Royal until 22 June 1857. His teachers at the Royal Academy were Sterndale Bennett [q. v.] and Arthur O'Leary for pianoforte, and John Goss [q.v.] for composition. During his student period at Tenterden Street a setting by him of 'It was a Lover and his Lass,' for duet and chorus, was performed at the academy concert of 14 July 1857, and an overture on 13 July 1858. The latter work was praised by the 'Musical World' of 17 July 1858 (the leading musical journal of the day) for its cleverness, 'and an independent way of thinking, which, in one so young as the Mendelssohn scholar, looks well.' Outside his academy studies he took an active part in composing music for, and, clad in the academy uniform, in conducting the orchestra of, the Pimlico Dramatic Society, an amateur organisation which had the advantage of his brother Fred's assistance in the capacity of stage manager and director-in-chief.
In the autumn of 1858 Sullivan was sent by the Mendelssohn scholarship committee to the Conservatorium, Leipzig. He studied there under Moritz Hauptmann (counterpoint), Julius Rietz (composition), Ignatz Moscheles and Louis Plaidy (pianoforte), and Ferdinand David (orchestral playing and conducting). At Leipzig his publicly performed compositions included a string quartett; an overture, 'The Feast of Roses,' suggested by Thomas Moore's 'Lalla Rookh' (26 May 1890); and the music to Shakespeare's 'Tempest' — the last-named being his exit opus from the Conservatorium.
Sullivan returned to England in April 1861, when he immediately had to set about earning his own living. He took a course of lessons on the organ from George Cooper [q. v.] in order to qualify himself for an organist appointment. In the summer of 1861 he became organist and choirmaster of St. Michael's church, Chester Square, the adult members of his choir being composed of policemen! The turning-point of his life as a composer was reached by the performance of his wonderfully beautiful 'Tempest' music, played under the conductorship of Mr. August Manns at the Crystal Palace Saturday concert of 5 April 1862. Among the audience on that occasion was Charles Dickens, who said to the composer: 'I don't profess to be a musical critic, but I do know that I have listened to a very remarkable work.' The professional critics fully endorsed the opinion of the great novelist, and Sullivan at the age of twenty-one suddenly found himself famous. The 'Tempest' music, which was repeated at the concert on the following Saturday, must be placed among his best work. In melodic charm, dainty orchestration, and poetic fancy, Sullivan never surpassed this spontaneous composition of his youth. The arrival of the princess of Wales (Queen Alexandra) in London in March 1863 prompted a song, 'Bride from the North,' and a processional march. Sullivan's success as a song composer may be said to date from his five Shakespearean songs, produced at this time, of which 'Orpheus with his lute' stands out pre-eminently as a composition of sterling merit. The post of organist at the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden Theatre, which he held for a time under Costa's conductorship, resulted in the composition of the ballet of 'L'Ile enchantée,' produced at Covent Garden on 16 May 1864. In the same year he made his first appearance as a composer at one of the great musical festivals by the production of his cantata 'Kenilworth' (libretto by H. F. Chorley) at Birmingham, 8 Sept. 1864. 'Kenilworth' contains a duet, 'How sweet the moonlight sleeps,' which is 'far too good to be forgotten.' He lost much time over an opera (libretto also by Chorley) entitled 'The Sapphire Necklace,' of which only the overture came to maturity, and which has been frequently performed in the concert-room. From 1865 to 1869 Sullivan held his first appointment as a chef d'orchestre in the conductorship of the Civil Service Musical Society.
The year 1866 was an important one in his career. He was offered by Sterndale Bennett, the principal, a professorship of composition at the Royal Academy of Music. He also became professor of 'pianoforte and ballad singing' at the Crystal Palace School of Art. His only symphony (in E) was produced at the Crystal Palace on 10 March 1866. On 11 July he gave a concert at St. James's Hall,
