Xavier Phillips (born 1971 in Paris) is a French contemporary classical

cellist The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G2, D3 ...

, the brother of

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

ist Jean-Marc Phillips-Varjabédian.

Biography

Xavier Phillips started learning the

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...

at the age of 6. He entered the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

in 1986 and studied with

Philippe Muller Philippe Muller (born 20 April 1946, in Mulhouse) is a French cellist. Biography Philippe Muller (born April 20, 1946, in Mulhouse) is a French cellist and pedagogue. His first contact with the cello was under the guidance of Dominique Prete, p ...

. He obtained the First Prize of the Conservatory in 1989. After a third prize at the

Rostropovich Competition Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, (27 March 192727 April 2007) was a Russian cellist and conductor. He is considered by many to be the greatest cellist of the 20th century. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was wel ...

in 1989, he continued his training with

Mstislav Rostropovitch Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, (27 March 192727 April 2007) was a Russian cellist and conductor. He is considered by many to be the greatest cellist of the 20th century. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was wel ...

, who particularly noticed him. They worked together for a dozen years, the master inviting him regularly as a soloist of the orchestras he was led to direct. Xavier Phillips premiered the ''Cello Concerto'' by

Jean-Louis Agobet Jean-Louis Agobet (born 21 April 1968) is a French composer. Agobet was born in Blois Loir-et-Cher. He studied with Philippe Manoury at the Conservatoire de Lyon. Following a residence at the Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg conductor Fran� ...

in Caen on 19 March 2010.Critique de la création par Bruno Serrou sur le site anaclase
/ref> Xavier Phillips plays on a 1710 made cello by

Matteo Goffriller Matteo Goffriller (1659–1742) was a Republic of Venice, Venetian luthier, particularly noted for the quality of his cellos. He was active between 1685–1735 and was the founder of the "Venetian School (music), Venetian School" of luthiers, durin ...

Selected discography

*''Sonates pour violoncelle et piano'': sonata by

Alfred Schnittke Alfred Garrievich Schnittke (russian: Альфре́д Га́рриевич Шни́тке, link=no, Alfred Garriyevich Shnitke; 24 November 1934 – 3 August 1998) was a Russian composer of Jewish-German descent. Among the most performed and re ...

; '' sonata Op. 40'' in D minor by

Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, , group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926 and was regarded throughout his life as a major compo ...

; sonata Op. 119 in C major by

Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''., group=n (27 April .S. 15 April1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer ...

with

Hüseyin Sermet Hüseyin Sermet (born in Istanbul, 1955) is a Turkish pianist and composer.Hüseyin Sermet.
hexagone.ne ...

as the pianist, at

Harmonia mundi Harmonia Mundi is an independent record label which specializes in classical music, jazz, and world music (on the World Village label). It was founded in France in 1958 and is now a subsidiary of PIAS Entertainment Group. Its Latin name ''ha ...

, HMN 911628. * ''Armenia'': Interpretations of Armenian composers' works (

Aram Khachaturian Aram Ilyich Khachaturian (; rus, Арам Ильич Хачатурян, , ɐˈram ɨˈlʲjitɕ xətɕɪtʊˈrʲan, Ru-Aram Ilyich Khachaturian.ogg; hy, Արամ Խաչատրյան, ''Aram Xačʿatryan''; 1 May 1978) was a Soviet and Armenian ...

, Arno Babadjanian...etc); with Vahan Mardirossian and Jean-Marc Phillips-Varjabédian, at Lontano-Warner.

References

External links

*
Biography
on Musicaglotz
Xavier Phillips
on

France Musique France Musique is a French national public radio channel owned and operated by Radio France. It is devoted to the broadcasting of music, both live and recorded, with particular emphasis on European classical music, classical music and jazz. Hist ...

Xavier Phillips
on

France Info France Info (stylised as franceinfo:) is a French public broadcasting service produced in collaboration with France Télévisions, Radio France, France Médias Monde and the Institut national de l'audiovisuel. The service includes a radio ...

Xavier Phillips
on

Orchestre de chambre de Paris The Orchestre de chambre de Paris (OCP) is a French chamber orchestra based in Paris. The orchestra performs throughout Paris with concerts at the Philharmonie de Paris, where it is a resident ensemble, and also at such venues as the Théâtre des ...

Xavier Phillips
on ''La Folle Journée''
Xavier Phillips
on Orchestre de l'Alliance *
Xavier Phillips
on Mariisky Theatre
Boccherini - Cello concert Bb-dur, Xavier Phillips
on YouTube
Xavier Phillips - Tout un monde lointain de Henri Dutilleux - part 1 of 5
on YouTube {{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Xavier Musicians from Paris Conservatoire de Paris alumni French classical cellists 1971 births living people