Pannon Philharmonic

Xavier de Maistre is a true advocate of French chamber music, hailed in musical circles as an artist who releases the harp from the silky textures – admirable enough, but often soporific – to which it is too often confined. In the hands of a virtuoso, the harp can successfully rival the piano.

Xavier de Maistre began studying the harp at the local conservatory in his home town of Toulon. He subsequently went on to perfect his playing with Jacqueline Borot and Catherine Michel in Paris, while at the same time studying politics and economics at Sciences-Po Paris and at the London School of Economics. In 1998 he was awarded the 1st prize and two interpretation prizes at the prestigious USA International Harp Competition (Bloomington). The same year he was appointed to the coveted position of solo harpist of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

Xavier de Maistre enjoys an active career as a soloist, performing with many prestigious orchestras such as the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, Luxemburg Philharmonic, Sinfonia Varsovia, Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Orchestra, KBS Symphony (Seoul), Orchestre National de Bordeaux, National Orchestra of Spain and the NHK Symphony Orchestra (Tokyo) under the direction of conductors like Sir Andre Previn, Heinrich Schiff,Armin Jordan, Alexander Lazarev, Walter Weller, Gilbert Varga, Josep Pons, Bertrand de Billy, Theodor Guschlbauer, Christoph Poppen und Philippe Jordan. In Mai 2002, he became the first harpist to perform a concerto with the Vienna Philharmonic.

Xavier de Maistre is invited by the most prestigious festivals: Schleswig-Holstein Festival, Salzburger Festspielen, Rheingau Festival, Wiener Festwochen, Osterklang, Budapest Spring Festival, Schubertiade, Styriarte, Verbier Festival and Würzburg Mozartfest, playing with artists such as Kathleen Battle, Diana Damrau, Ingolf Turban, Bo Skovhus, Barbara Bonney and actors like Peter Simonischek, Miguel Herz-Kestranek, Andrea Jonasson. Xavier de Maistre was appointed professor at the Musik Hochschule in Hamburg in 2001 and gives regularly masterclasses at the Julliard School New York, the Toho University Tokyo, the Shanghai Conservatory and the Trinity College in London.

As of 2008, he will record exclusively for Sony-BMG International.