 Born in Ottawa , Ontario , Gauthier received musical lessons as a child , in harmony , voice , and piano . The custom of the time dictated that North American musicians travel to Europe for training if they desired a reputable professional career , and in July 1902 , at the age of seventeen , Gauthier set out for Europe , financed by her aunt and uncle , Lady Zoé Laurier and Sir Wilfrid Laurier . 
