Early Life
Born in Utrecht, Holland, De Blanck was the son of violinist Willem de Blan(c)k and singer Reine Valet. Hubert studied music with his father until February 1865, when he was admitted to the Royal Conservatory of Liège, Belgium. There he studied piano with Felix Étienne Ledent and solfège. In 1869, aged 13, he won the institution's 2nd Annual Piano Competition by unanimous decision, the winning piece being Hummel's Concerto in B minor for piano and orchestra. His sister Ana had won the violin competition at the conservatory in 1867. In November of that year, he decided to leave the conservatory, and moved to Brussels. After playing a concert at Brussels' Royal Palace, King Leopold II awarded him a scholarship to study at whichever conservatory he chose. Hubert's father chose Cologne. The family moved there in 1871.
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