Xavier de Maistre
Harp
”Xavier de Maistre's playing throughout is both robust and delicate; his ability to recall the percussiveness of the piano when necessary (…) is most impressive.” William Yeoman, Gramophone
No one could have imagined what to expect - even Xavier de Maistre himself - when he challenged himself to change the face of the solo harp 16 years ago. Today he plays pieces like Smetana’s “Ma Vlast" in breathtaking precision and presents masterful pieces of music that are usually played by an entire orchestra. The interpretation of these works, that few harpists before him have even considered playing, has contributed to his reputation as one of the most extraordinary musicians of this generation.
As a soloist, Xavier de Maistre has appeared with major orchestras under the direction of such eminent conductors as Riccardo Muti, André Previn, Simon Rattle, Heinrich Schiff, Bertrand de Billy, Walter Weller, Gilbert Varga, Josep Pons, Daniele Gatti and Philippe Jordan. He has performed at many of Europe’s leading festivals, including those in Schleswig-Holstein, Salzburg, Rheingau, Vienna and Verbier, the Budapest Spring Festival and the Wurzburg Mozart Festival. Among the artists with whom he has performed are Kathleen Battle, Ingolf Turban, Diana Damrau and Barbara Bonney.
Highlights of the 2011/12 season include de Maistre’s debut with Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, appearances with Bremer Philharmoniker, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Musikollegium Winterthur, Orchestre de Paris, Polish National Orchestra, Orquestra de Cadaqués and on tour with Ensemble l’arte del mondo. He performs concertos by composers as diverse as Vivaldi, Rodrigo, Debussy, Mozart, Ginastera, Nino Rota and John Williams. Recital appearances include with Diana Damrau and with Mojca Erdmann in Luxenburg, Zürich, Bonn, Vienna, Edinburgh International Festival and London’s Wigmore Hall. Furthermore, he undertakes a series of chamber music concerts with Daniel Müller-Schott and Arabella Steinbacher.
In 2008 Xavier de Maistre signed an exclusive contract with RCA/ Sony Music. Releases so far have included music by Haydn, Rodrio, Ginastera and Debussy – the latter for which he was awarded the Echo Klassik Award 2009 as "Instrumentalist of the Year". In 2012, new recording with Ensemble l’arte del mondo will be released.
Xavier de Maistre was born in Toulon and began to study harp at the age of nine. He then studied with Vassilia Briano at the Toulon Conservatory, before perfecting his technique with Catherine Michel and Jacqueline Borot in Paris. In 1998 he was awarded the first prize and two interpretation prizes at the prestigious International Harp Competition in Bloomington, Indiana. Later that same year he went on to become the first French musician to join the ranks of the prestigious Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra – a position which he left in summer 2010 in order to devote himself to his international solo career. Since 2001 Xavier de Maistre has taught at the Hamburg Academy of Music. He also gives regular masterclasses at New York’s Juilliard School of Music, Tokyo’s Toho University and London’s Trinity College of Music.
SEASON 2011/2012
