Xavier De Maistre

The first French musician ever accepted into the <a href="spotify:artist:003f4bk13c6Q3gAUXv7dGJ">Wiener Philharmoniker</a>, harpist Xavier de Maistre enjoys vigorous careers as a soloist, recording artist, and educator. He has commissioned new music from <a href="spotify:artist:0qEO82Hj3SvjoNyEfKpRku">Krzysztof Penderecki</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:35ooFrlJDRGXeuI2fL70d3">Kaija Saariaho</a>.

De Maistre was born in Toulon on the French Rivera on October 22, 1973. He began harp lessons at age nine. Attending the London School of Economics as a political science and economics major, de Maistre commuted to Paris for lessons with Jacqueline Borot and <a href="spotify:artist:3VXf0RCnHBKqix91KCP4lD">Catherine Michel</a>. Several major prizes, including one at the International Harp Competition in Bloomington, Indiana, helped launch de Maistre's career. He joined the <a href="spotify:artist:003f4bk13c6Q3gAUXv7dGJ">Wiener Philharmoniker</a> (<a href="spotify:artist:003f4bk13c6Q3gAUXv7dGJ">Vienna Philharmonic</a>) in 1998, becoming the first French musician to join the ranks of that august institution. That year, he recorded his debut album on the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Harmonia+Mundi%22">Harmonia Mundi</a> label, featuring music by <a href="spotify:artist:4lMRpJKueAGTp4dlhZpJdM">Henriette Renié</a>. In the 2000s decade, he recorded several albums for the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Claves%22">Claves</a> and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22RCA+Red+Seal%22">RCA Red Seal</a> labels.

Remaining with the <a href="spotify:artist:003f4bk13c6Q3gAUXv7dGJ">Wiener Philharmoniker</a> until 2010, de Maistre also appeared with other orchestras, including the <a href="spotify:artist:77CaCn32H4mOMQA7UElzfF">Academy of St. Martin in the Fields</a>, the <a href="spotify:artist:41dt7Un3zDLbOpYfTasmid">NHK Symphony Orchestra</a>, and the <a href="spotify:artist:7xe7rH5SJ5Z3PzZvqAU2nq">Helsinki Philharmonic</a>, among others. He has performed under such conductors as <a href="spotify:artist:4GQwgdcDQwqtcHICjUNndp">Simon Rattle</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7silW8RiEOoLBgAg5JBCL1">Riccardo Muti</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2tfWguHr2nj4e8KXLKciVq">André Previn</a>. In 2001, de Maistre joined the faculty at the Hamburg Academy of Music; he has also taught at the Juilliard School in New York, Toho University in Tokyo, and Trinity College of Music in London.

Signed to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Sony+Classical%22">Sony Classical</a>, de Maistre released his debut album for the label, Aranjuez: Concertos and Dances for Harp, in 2010. Performing independently since leaving the <a href="spotify:artist:003f4bk13c6Q3gAUXv7dGJ">Philharmoniker</a>, he has been a frequent guest at top-rank European festivals, including the Salzburg Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and Verbier Festival, and has served as accompanist to leading singers such as <a href="spotify:artist:24fwyM31DLDqYOPvQ0jFFr">Barbara Bonney</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4gbrnZzPDYl2SBjzAL4KIE">Diana Damrau</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:13Tfk6ZpGdF0G3v9B3kasP">Kathleen Battle</a>. He has continued to record for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Harmonia+Mundi%22">Harmonia Mundi</a>, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Deutsche+Grammophon%22">Deutsche Grammophon</a>, and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Sony+Classical%22">Sony Classical</a>, issuing the album Christmas Harp on the latter in 2021. ~ James Manheim, Rovi