Sergey Vasilenko studied composition under Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov at the Moscow Conservatory. Vasilenko entered the conservatory in 1895 and graduated in May 1901 with a gold medal, having completed his composition studies in Ippolitov-Ivanov’s class.
Ippolitov-Ivanov’s pedagogical work at the Moscow Conservatory included teaching composition, and Sergey Vasilenko is named among his students.